Absolving Army from the killing of 19 years old budding cricketer Nayeem Qadir Bhat, his family Friday claimed that he was killed by a police man who is posted in the town from past 10 years.“I am the witness of this killing. I don’t know who killed other three people but Nayeem was killed by an Ikhwani turned cop Muhammad Rafiq (Assistant Sub Inspector) in front of my eyes. This is what I have told District Magistrate Kupwara and the same I am repeating to you,” Muhammad Ali, the maternal uncle of slain youth told CNS.The 19-year-old Nayeem Bhat was killed in a firing by Government forces in this volatile north Kashmir town as protestors clashed with police over an alleged molestation bid by an army man on 12 April this month.Muhammad Ali said, “I along with ‘Nanha’ (nick name of Nayeem Ahmed Bhat) had gone to market to purchase vegetables when the town was already on boil. After walking a distance, an Assistant Sub Inspector Muhamamd Rafiq (99/H ExK901857) stopped us. This cop is posted in Handwara from past 10 years. The cop was carrying non-lethal weapon (tear-gas gun) which he directed towards us.
When I objected and told him why he is targeting us, he snatched the rifle from his colleague and directly fired upon Nayeem. I am the witness and can easily identify the killer cop,” he said adding shortly after pumping bullets into the body of Nayeem, he lost his conscience and later on found large number of people surrounding the body of his nephew.“It will be extremely unfair if we will absolve that killer cop and blame Army for the death of my beloved nephew,” Muhammad Ali said.The brother of Nayeem Ahmed who is a police constable did not speak due to the visible shock. “The brother of the slain youth is himself a policeman who was seriously injured during an encounter in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district recently,” a family member pointing towards cop (brother of slain youth) told CNS.Meanwhile the locals from Handwara said that they will continue to protest till all the three Army bunkers from the town are not removed. They alleged these Army bunkers are the source of nuisance. The locals alleged that instead of taking action against the ‘killers’ police have registered cases against scores of youth on the town. “All these FIR’s should be withdrawn. If administration did not do so, we will continue to protest,” locals said. (CNS)