Pahalgam Attack: Mehbooba, Ruhullah raise questions over 22-year-old's death in Kulgam – ‘can’t treat Kashmiris as…’

Pahalgam Attack: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) leader Aga Ruhullah Mehdi has warned against treating Kashmiris as collateral damage and counterterrorism measures getting reflected as collective punishment in the aftermath of last month's Pahalgam terror attack.

Mehdi, the Lok Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) from Srinagar, raised questions after the body of a 22-year-old youth Imtiyaz Ahmad Magray from South Kashmir was recovered on Sunday, days after allegedly being picked up by security forces for questioning.

“I am deeply worried by the recovery of 22-year-old Imtiyaz Ahmad Magray's body from a stream in Kulgam. According to credible reports, Imtiyaz was picked up by the security forces days ago, and today, he was returned to his family, lifeless,” Mehdi said in a statement on Sunday.

Residents of a village in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir recovered the body of a Magray on Sunday amid allegations that the deceased was picked by security forces for questioning in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. Police have denied the 'custodial death' allegations by the family.

“This follows disturbing allegations by family members of those who were recently killed in Kupwara and Baramulla, raising serious questions about the pattern of abuse,” Mehdi said, supporting the family's demand for a swift and independent investigation into Imtiyaz's death while asserting that full accountability for all involved must be upheld.

Mehdi's remarks came amid escalating tensions and Pakistan's downgraded diplomatic relations with India after the worst-ever terror attack on civilians in twenty-five years in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, on 22 April. Mehdi had earlier questioned the detention of over 2000 Kashmiris after the Pahalgaam attack.

Collective punishment?

“Kashmiris cannot be treated as collateral damage in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, Arbitrary detentions, custodial killings and torture was violations of every democratic and legal principle. Counterterrorism is increasingly getting reflected as collective punishment,” Mehdi said in the statement.

Another NC leader and Jammu and Kashmir minister Sakina Itoo met the deceased's family on Sunday. "He was a young man who worked a labourer. He used to work outside Kashmir and returned two weeks ago. He was picked up by security forces for investigation a few days ago. I wanted to request the L-G to order a judicial probe in his death," she said.

Some reports in the media quoted police sources saying Imtiyaz was an overground worker (OGW)

Earlier in the day, People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said there were serious allegations of foul play in the death of Imtiyaz Ahmad Magray whose body was fished out from the Adbal stream in the Aharbal area of Kulgam district this morning.

Police have taken cognisance of the incident and started an investigation to ascertain the cause of death.

Serious allegations of foul play: Mehbooba

"Yet another body has been recovered from a river in Kulgam, raising serious allegations of foul play. Local residents allege that Imtiyaz Magray was picked up by the army two days ago, and now, mysteriously his body has surfaced in the river," Mehbooba, the former Chief Minister of Kashmir, said in a post on X

She said the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam appears to be a calculated attempt to derail the fragile peace, disrupt tourism in Kashmir and undermine communal harmony across the country.

"If a single act of violence can shake the entire system, triggering arbitrary arrests, home demolitions, and the targeting of innocent civilians, then the perpetrators have already achieved their objective," she said.

Mehbooba called for an impartial investigation into the death.

"Allegations of misconduct, whether in Bandipora encounter or in this latest incident in Kulgam are deeply troubling and warrant a thorough impartial investigation," she added.

Died by suicide, says Police

The body of Imtiaz Ahmad Magray, a resident of Tangmarg in south Kashmir's Kulgam, was recovered from a stream on Sunday. The family said Magray was picked up by the Army some days ago, and alleged it was a case of custodial killing.

Police, however, claim he jumped into the river while leading authorities to a terrorist hideout. They said that Magray had confessed to having knowledge of a terrorist hideout and tried to escape while making his way there.

"Today morning, when CASO (cordon and search operation) was launched, the deceased went to the hideout spot (near the riverbed) under close supervision via videographed drone. Consequently, he jumped into Veshaw Nalla and probably tried to escape via the river route," the police said.

"It is also learnt that he was aware of the first terrorist hideout that was busted by security forces in the Tangmarg forest, where contact was established on 23 April.”

Police said that while locating the second terrorist hideout.“He jumped into the river and died by suicide,” they said.

(With PTI inputs)