A 55-year-old dry-fruit seller from Qazigund, south Kashmir, doused himself with petrol and set himself ablaze on Sunday after visiting the local police station — an act his family and local politicians say was driven by fear for the safety of relatives who had been taken away for questioning in a terror-module probe. The man, identified as Bilal Ahmad Wani, was first taken to the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) in Srinagar and later shifted as his condition worsened; several news outlets reported that he succumbed to his injuries. (The Indian Express)
The incident: what happened
According to family members, Wani — who lived close to the home of a doctor recently arrested in connection with the probe — was called to the Qazigund police station on Saturday. The family says he returned home that night looking shaken; his son, Jasir (also reported as Jasir Altaf), and his brother, Nabeel Ahmad, remained in custody. Early the next morning, Wani went outside, poured petrol over himself and set himself on fire. He was rushed to hospital in critical condition. Some media reports later said he died of his injuries. (The Indian Express)
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Family members told reporters that Wani had repeatedly pleaded with authorities to let him see his detained son and brother and that his distress over their safety was the immediate trigger for the self-immolation. Those accounts have been central to local outrage. (The Indian Express)
Police response and denials
Kulgam police, however, denied detaining members of Wani’s family when questioned by reporters and officials. The Superintendent of Police in Kulgam stated there was no case against Wani and that when his son was questioned, Wani himself had been allowed to leave the station. The police briefings assert that there was no deliberate denial of access to family members in custody. These conflicting accounts between family and police have added to the controversy and calls for clarity. (The Indian Express)
Why the family was under scrutiny
The incident took place against the backdrop of a widening investigation into a terror-module allegedly linked to the November 10 Red Fort car blast. Police arrested several people in a multi-state probe that has included raids and seizures of explosives and weapons. One of the central figures in that probe is Dr. Adeel (Adil/Adil Ahmad) Rather, a Kashmiri doctor who was arrested in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, earlier in November; authorities allege he played a role in the “white-collar” support network behind the module. The Wani family — neighbours of Dr. Rather — say that proximity to the accused doctor made them targets for questioning. (www.ndtv.com)
Media reports about the wider investigation indicate that multiple doctors working in different parts of western Uttar Pradesh have been questioned and that agencies have recovered substantial quantities of materials reportedly linked to extremist activity. The probe has therefore involved several state and central agencies and has generated intense press and political attention. (The Times of India)
Political reaction and public outcry
The death and the circumstances around it prompted immediate condemnation from opposition leaders and human-rights advocates. Former Jammu & Kashmir chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti called the episode “this level of highhandedness” and said that “random” detentions risk pushing people toward “darker paths.” She posted the family’s account and urged authorities to permit families access to those in custody. Her post amplified local anger and demands for an independent probe into both the conduct of the investigation and the treatment of those questioned. (X (formerly Twitter))
Reporting from The Indian Express, , NDTV, The Times of India, and public posts by Mehbooba Mufti on X. (The Indian Express)
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