Anantnag: The family of a labourer from Kulgam who died in judicial custody Sunday night has said that they had no idea about his illness, for they had not been allowed to meet him for more than seven months now.
Ali Muhammad Wani, 42, son of Habibullah Wani, a resident of Katrasoo village in Kulgam district, had been arrested last year, under FIR number 82-2019, days after five non-local labourers were shot at and killed in his village by unidentified gunmen.
Wani was arrested in connection with the killings and had been lodged at the Anantnag district jail since.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Prisons, Muhammad Sultan Lone, has said that the deceased was not well and died at a hospital. “Further reports and cause of death are being ascertained and will be shared shortly,” Lone told a local news gathering agency.
Kashmir Reader talked to the superintendent of Anantnag district jail, Syroz Ahmad, who maintained that Wani had some health issues, including swelling in his feet.
“He was getting treatment inside the jail, initially. But a few days back we took him to the Government Medical College Hospital where several diagnoses were conducted and he was also given some medication,” Ahmad said.
He added that Wani did respond to the treatment initially but his condition deteriorated late Sunday evening. “We rushed him to the nearby hospital in Mattan, where he was declared brought dead,” Ahmad said.
Wani’s family says they were denied a meeting with him for the past seven months. “We did not in the first place know why he was picked up, and then after some visits to the jail initially, we were not allowed to meet him at all,” Wani’s father Habibullah told media persons at his home in Kulgam.
He said that Wani sometimes called home from the jail landline. “That is the only contact we have had with him in the past more than seven months,” Habibullah said. “He did mention once that he was not feeling well but we had no idea that his condition was life threatening.”
Wani’s wife, Shahida, said she was not sure whether her husband died a natural death or was murdered inside the jail. “We only got a call this morning from his lawyer asking us to visit Anantnag. We had no idea about what was wrong with him,” Shahida said.
Wani is survived by his elderly parents, his wife and three minor daughters. He, as per the family, was the only earning hand. “He worked as a labourer to keep us fed,” the family members said.
Many people, whose kin are in different jails, reached the Deputy Commissioner’s office in Kulgam district on Monday and expressed concern. “We have no idea about the condition of our kin and today’s incident has left us horrified,” they said.

Suhail A Shah