Tuesday, November 5News and updates from Kashmir

Undertrial prisoner from Kathua dies in Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu

A 36-year-old man accused of ‘Anti-national activities’ in detention at the Kot Bhalwal Jail in Jammu died after suffering a heart attack in the Jail, officials said on Friday.

As per police officials, undertrial Muni Mohammad, a resident of Rampora in Kathua was offering prayers with the rest of the prisoners when he suddenly collapsed after which he was referred to the nearby hospital where he was declared dead. “Muni had suffered a heart attack,” they said.

Sources informed The Kashmiriyat that the accused was shifted to Kot Bhalwal Jail on August 10 after being initially arrested in July under the charges of 121, 121A, 122 of IPC and Sections 16, 18 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

Police said that the case was initially registered at Kathua on May 29 and was re-registered by the NIA on July 30.

The NIA carried out searches at multiple locations in Jammu Kashmir on Thursday in connection with its investigation into the dropping of weapons by Pakistani drones along the International Border.

Earlier on Tuesday, A Pakistani militant prisoner was killed and a policeman injured near the International Border in Jammu’s Arnia during an investigation regarding a weapon-dropping case.

Police said, a Pakistani militant, Mohammad Ali Hussain alias Qasim alias Jehangir from Pakistan, a commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, was operating from the jail.

“He was taken for a weapon recovery operation by the police in Arnia Sector at Toph village on the IB,” the police said. During the operation, he opened a packet and opened fire on the Government Force personnel.

The militant was injured, however. Later, he succumbed to his injuries. The police said that Qasim was involved in the weapon-dropping case registered on February 24, this year.

Meanwhile, Qasim’s death has sparked a protest by a section of inmates inside the Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu.

Family member of a Kashmiri prisoner lodged at Kot Bhalwal told The Kashmiriyat over the phone that one of their kin lodged in the Jail told them that the prisoners had started a hunger strike over the death of an inmate. “He called us from the Jail phone and informed that the inmates were feeling insecure as Qasim’s death was the second death of an inmate in less than a year,” the family member said.

He said that the section of inmates have also refused to meet their relatives and boycotted court hearings to demand security. “Qasim’s killing has triggered insecurity among the inmates,” the family member said.

Concerned over their safety, the family member demanded that the police higher ups intervene into the matter and secure the lives of inmates in Kot Bhalwal.

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