Srinagar: The inquiry officer into alleged custodial killing of a youth in Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district by police has asked relatives and people having knowledge about the incident to record their statements.

Additional District Magistrate Baramulla, Mohammad Ahsan has been appointed by the Deputy Commissioner Baramulla to conduct a magisterial enquiry to ascertain the causes and circumstances leading to the death of the youth Irfan Ahmad Dar son of Mohammad Akbar Dar of Sidiq Colony, Sopore earlier this week after he was taken into custody by the police.
Police said Dar was a ln “overground worker” of a militant organisation it didn’t specify. As per a police statement, Dar “managed to escape” from custody when he was being taken to his associate upon his disclosure.

“The public in general and the close relatives of the deceased Irfan Ahmad Dar along with the persons having knowledge about the case in particular are hereby informed through the medium of this notice to record their statements regarding the knowledge about the alleged custodial death of the deceased before the enquiry officer,” reads a notice issued by the inquiry officer.

The officer has provided a schedule for recording the statement. The people have been asked to record the statement—verbal or written—on September 20 and 21 at ADC officer Sopore from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from September 22 to 26 at ADC office Baramulla from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“Statements can even be electronically furnished to the Enquiry Officer on below mentioned Number/ Email-Id: Phone No. 9419030228; Email-id: [email protected],” reads the notice.

The enquiry officer has been asked to submit his report within a period of 20 days.
There has been an outcry in Sopore and elsewhere in valley over the youth’s alleged custodial killing.

“Allegations are leveled against Sopore Police for custodial killing of the subject,” said the deputy commission of the north Kashmir district in the order as he appointed ADC as the inquiry officer. While police claimed Dar fled from the custody and “his body was recovered later”, the family has already rejected the claim, maintaining that the 23-year-old youth, a shopkeeper by profession, was killed in custody. (GNS)

Reader correspondent