JKLF protests against ‘custodial killing’ of Awantipora teacher

Srinagar: JKLF leaders and activists staged a protest on Friday near Budshah Chowk Srinagar here against the ‘custodial killing’ of a teacher from Awantipora area of Pulwama district. The protest was announced by Joint resistance leadership (JRL) and was attended by various leaders, activists, and people from different walks of life, spokesman said in a statement issued on Friday.
Spokesman said that protest was held against the ‘brutal custodial killing’ of a young teacher Rizwan Asad Pandith, ‘ongoing spree of killings, arrests and raids by police and other agencies, prolonged incarceration of JKLF chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik and others and other aggressive acts of oppression unleashed by agencies like NIA, ED, FEMA and so on’.
Holding placards in hands and raising slogans against ‘ongoing human rights abuses’ in Kashmir, the protesters marched towards Budshah Chowk and staged a peaceful sit-in which was addressed by various leaders.
In his address, JKLF vice chairman Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi said that “killings of innocents is going on unabated and as we are still mourning the custodial death of martyr Rizwan Asad Pandith, one more innocent teen Atif Mir along with many others has been killed with impunity in north Kashmir today.”
He said that according to Indian media, Rizwan was arrested by NIA and interrogated at SOG camp cargo. “He was tortured ruthlessly, parts of his body were exposed to fire, skin cut at many places and roller was drawn all over his body. After killing him in a torture cell, a case of attempting to flee from custody has been registered against him which actually is a testimony of his custodial killing,” he said.
Condemning the prolonged incarceration of JKLF chairman who is languishing at Kot-Balwal jail, JKLF leader said that thousands of young and old have been put into incarceration centers by police and other forces as an unabated spree of arrests is continuing with impunity.
He said that a political leader like Yasin Malik is being ill-treated which speaks volumes about the Indian democracy and rule of law in Jammu Kashmir.
Terming the booking of veteran leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani under FEMA by ED as ‘absurd and not-acceptable’, JKLF leader said that “the policy of persistent denial of reality, stubbornness, enmity, and refusal has and is only giving all of us body bags and miseries and we need to change this policy for the betterment of our next generations.”
“Kashmir is being treated as an occupied colony and Kashmiris as slaves who have no right to live, progress according to their will and continue their democratic peaceful activities. This blanket ban on political dissent and crushing a peoples’ movement by share military and police might have turned Jammu Kashmir into a hell where no one is feeling safe and secure,” asserted JKLF leader.
He said NIA, ED and now FEMA like agencies and laws are being deployed to by rulers to suppress Kashmiris and defeat their resistance but perpetrators fail to realize that no oppression or suppression has and can ever defeat peoples’ movement, peoples will, and aspirations.
“Whatever Indian rulers do, and whatever their abettors do to terrorize and torment people for their petty interests, Kashmiri resistance will continue until the achievement of the desired goal,” he added.
Asking Kashmiri people to remain vigilant of all new and old pro-India politicians who always betray Kashmiri cause, JKLF leader said that many new faces are being projected as saviors who are actually agents of status quo and deployed only to fulfill their personal agendas and goals.
“We as a nation will have to reject these bloodsuckers and remain watchful to safeguard our sacrifices,” he added.