Kishtwar Riots Aftermath: 28 year old Gujjar Youth Still Missing

Saroori urged the government to take measure to trace the victim

5 Dariya News

Srinagar 09-Oct-2013

28-year old Dil Mohammad went missing following communal clashes in Kishtwar on August 9. The riots which claimed three lives and injured many took place between two communities on the aftermath of Eid festival.A procession of people after offering Eid prayers raised anti-India slogans which led to clashes which later spread to other parts of the district. People involved in the clashes initially started with stone pelting and later shops and houses were gutted.More than 80 shops, a petrol pump, an oil tanker, some vehicles of the state police and fire department were torched in addition to government buildings.The family members of the missing youth, Dil Muhammad, told that he had gone missing on the day of riots.“On the fateful day when riots erupted in Kishtwar, Dil Muhammad went missing and till date police is unable to locate him,” one of his family members told.The victim is son of Ghulam Qadir Bakash and lived in Balgram, Dunandi Bunjwah, “He used to feed us by doing menial jobs in Paddar,” the family member said.We have no doubt that he was murdered but we want his body back so that we could perform his last rites, one of the cousins of the missing youth told.

Congress legislator from Inderwal constituency Ghulam Mohammad Saroori raised the issue in the legislative assembly and urged the government to take measure to trace the victim.“There are apprehensions that Dil Muhammad has been killed by hooligans and his body had been thrown into the river,” Saroori informed the house and sought an explanation from the government.At least three persons were killed in the riots and property worth lakhs of rupees was destroyed in the hilly Kishtwar townon August 9.Curfew was immediately imposed in the area and several changes were made in the administrative positions. The army also conducted flag marches for many days.