Jammu: Reiterating her demand for judicial probe into the death of youth committed suicide after alleged police torture in Billawar tehsil of Kathua district, PDP leader Iltija Mufti on Monday claimed that the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah led government has failed to secure the lives of its people in Jammu and Kashmir as the National Conference is on “shawl spree” for the last two months.
“For Omar Abdullah, the subject should be the Jammu and Kashmir at present and not the Amit Shah to whom he met several times,” Iltija said speaking to reporters here outside the party office.
She said, “In the last two months, the National Conference government is on “shawl spree” in Delhi and has sidelined its priorities by not thinking about the safety of its own people.”
“We have learned that Omar Abdullah is hosting lunch Al Fresco in Delhi and a few days ago also, he hosted a dinner in the national capital,” the PDP leader said, adding, “Omar Abdullah should have visited Billawar rather than hosting lunch or dinner. Even when Budhaal was in crisis with mysterious deaths, Omar was in Delhi. He must understand that a woman has lost her husband, who was tortured and forced to take his life.”
“I was removed from the circuit house yesterday and two of my private security officers (PSOs), who were not at any fault, have also been suspended only because they did not stop me from visiting Billawar,” she said.
She said, “We only demand judicial probe into the death of Makhan Din, who was tortured by the SHO Billawar on militancy charges following which he committed suicide.”
SHO Billawar should be suspended, she said adding, “it is a ‘jugalbandi’ between the National Conference, LG administration and the Central government functioning in Jammu and Kashmir with no priorities to make this region a peaceful, safe and secure place to live.”
Replying to a question, she said, “Dr Farooq Abdullah must understand that his Chief Minister son should have priorities for Jammu and Kashmir.”
“I left Srinagar like a thief. I was so scared. What was my fault? Am I anti-national, bank loan defaulter, or created any law and order problem, no, not at all. I am raising the voice of Billawar and after 2019, speaking the truth has become punishable in Jammu and Kashmir.”
She also asked the Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, Member Parliament from Kathua Constituency to intervene. Iltija further said, “after government formation, only one change was visible in two months was that the people of the National Conference are no more kept under the house arrest and that is why NC Minister Javed Rana was allowed to visit Billawar because he did not speak to media on ground realities.”
On Sunday, Iltija was detained hours before her presser in Jammu, but she spoke to reporters at the gates of the circuit house.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the backdrop of Billawar and Baramulla incidents had said that he has taken up the matter with the Centre while the government of Jammu and Kashmir will also order its own inquiries.
Taking to X, Abdullah posted, “I have seen the reports of excessive use of force and harassment of Makhan Din in police custody in Billawar leading to his suicide and the death of Waseem Ahmed Malla, shot by the army under circumstances that are not entirely clear.”
Meanwhile clarifying that there was no crackdown in the Billawar town of Kathua district, Jammu and Kashmir Police on February 6, had said the suspected Over Ground Worker (OGW) called for questioning but committed suicide at his residence and did not die due to custodial torture.
Deputy Inspector General, Jammu-Kathua Range, Shiv Kumar Sharma in a statement had stated that Makhan Din was the nephew of Pak exfiltrated terrorist Swar Din alias Swaru Gujjar and was helping in the same group that conducted the Badnotta Army Convoy attack in July 2024 in which four Army Jawans were martyred. It is the same group that led to the killing and Martyrdom of HC Bashir in the Kohag Operation.
Deputy Commissioner Kathua, Rakesh Manhas had already ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.
