Srinagar, Mar 19 : Former judge J&K High Court Hasnain Masoodi has strongly condemned the custodial death of Rizwan Pandith of Awantipora, who was allegedly killed in the joint custody of NIA and Police Component (SOG) Srinagar.
In a statement issued here on Tuesday, Masoodi said that incidents like these are not only tragic and unfortunate but highly condemnable. Such incidents cannot be allowed to take place in a civilised society and custodial death in NIA custody reinforces the apprehension of people about safety of the political and religious leaders in the custody of NIA and others summoned to appear before it.
He said that it is high time to review the jurisdiction of NIA in the state and stop it from carrying out such and like acts in the state. Everybody has seen how the NIA has been misused in the state particularly in the valley to threaten and intimidate the people of the State for political considerations. Everyone in the State should be committed for withdrawal of NIA jurisdiction from the state.
He further stated that the investigation into the custodial death should be time bound and it must also ascertain the facts about wrongful and illegal detention by the NIA authorities.
