In a troubling development, three Kashmiri men, allegedly taken into custody by the Indian Army for questioning, were discovered dead under suspicious circumstances on Friday. This incident unfolded near the site of a militant ambush on two Army vehicles in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district the previous day, which resulted in the deaths of five soldiers and injuries to two others.
The deceased individuals were part of a group of eight men reportedly picked up by the Army for questioning in connection with the ambush at Dhatyar Morh, located between Dhera Ki Gali and Bufliaz. The victims were identified as Safeer Hussain (43), Mohammad Showket (27), and Shabir Ahmad (32), all residents of Topa Peer village in Bufliaz.
The cause of their deaths remains unknown at this time.
Upon receiving reports of the deaths, Poonch Deputy Commissioner Choudhary Mohammad Yasin and Senior Superintendent of Police Vinay Kumar arrived in Bufliaz. Additionally, Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar is en route to Surankote to oversee the situation.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti expressed concern, stating that security forces had detained locals from Topa Peer near Bufliaz in Poonch. She alleged that three individuals were found dead with injury marks. Mufti called for the Lieutenant Governor to announce compensation of Rs 50 lakh for each innocent killed and Rs 5 lakh for the injured until the completion of a thorough inquiry into the incident. Mehbooba Mufti said that some locals were picked by forces from Topa Peer near Bafliaz in #Poonch & 3 of them were found dead with injury marks. LG should announce Rs 50 lakh for each of innocents killed & 5 lakh for injured till inquiry is ordered/ completed#Rajouri pic.twitter.com/n3nE6hjjsW— Hakeem Irfan Rashid (@HakeemIrfan) December 23, 2023
The circumstances surrounding the deaths of these Kashmiri men raise questions and demand a transparent investigation to uncover the truth behind this tragic turn of events.
