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Dry fruit seller dies of burns in Srinagar days after son detained for questioning
Bilal Ahmad Wani was denied police permission to see his son and brother, who were detained last week for links with their neighbours and terror accused Dr Adil and Dr Muzaffar Rather.
A dry fruit seller, Bilal Ahmad Wani, 55, who had set himself ablaze after police picked up his son and brother for questioning on Saturday in connection with the white collar terror module case, died of burns at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital in Srinagar early on Monday, police said.
Wani’s son Jasir Bilal and brother Naveed Wani had been picked up by Jammu and Kashmir Police from Wanpora in Qazigund following the Faridabad terror module bust and the Red Fort blast on November 10 that claimed 13 lives.
“The dry fruit trader sustained 90% burns on Sunday and succumbed to injuries in the hospital early on Monday,” a family member of the deceased said.
The Wanis are neighbours of terror module members and doctor brothers Adil Rather and Muzaffar Rather. While Muzaffar is believed to be absconding in Afghanistan at present, his younger brother Adil was arrested from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh on November 6 in connection with his role in the pasting of the Jaish-e-Mohammad posters warning of a “spectacular attack”, in Nowgam.
His interrogation led the police to Dr Muzamil Ganaie of Al Falah University in Faridabad and the unearthing of the inter-state JeM terror module along with the seizure of nearly 3,000kg of inflammable material, chemicals and reagents.
Two clerics, including Shopian-based Irfan Wagay, believed to be part of the module, have also been arrested.
Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti had asked the police to allow Bilal Wani to meet his detained son and brother. “Bilal Wani, an anguished father, has set himself on fire after his son and brother were detained by the police a few days ago. Petrified about their safety, he pleaded with the authorities to just see them but this was denied. This level of high-handedness only deepens wounds and breeds despair. When young men are picked up randomly, we risk driving an entire generation into fear, frustration and ultimately towards darker paths. Request @JmuKmrPolice to at least allow him to meet the detained members,” she had shared on X.
