When legitimate questions are raised, forces must be held accountable: Mehbooba

Former J&K chief minister says the Indian government must “come clean” on the killing of a youth in Kulgam

Former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said that forces must be held accountable as legitimate questions are being raised on the security forces, especially on the death of 17-year-old boy during an encounter in Kulgam on Wednesday.

Mehbooba Mufti

She said that the “Indian government must come clean on the killing of a youth in Kulgam”.

“Encounters occur on a daily basis in J&K. But when legitimate questions are raised, the security forces must be held accountable. The parents of the 17 yr old minor killed in the Kulgam gunfight claim that he was an innocent civilian. GOI must come clean on these allegations,” tweeted Mehbooba Mufti while raising questions over the encounter which took place in Chimmer village on Wednesday in which three militants were killed according to the police.

However, family members of one of the killed persons identified as Zakir Bashir Naik told mediapersons that he was innocent and had no affiliation with any of the militant groups.

The family members contested the police claims and said their 17-year-old son was a cricketer and had no association with militancy or the militant groups.

They even said that on the day of encounter, he was busy in his orchards along with other relatives. The family said Zakir was a civilian and then dubbed a ‘militant’.

Soon after reports of family appeared in local media, Kulgam police warned people against spreading rumours.

“Rumors are being spread by vested interests that Zakir Naik, LeT terrorist killed in Chimmer on 30 June`21, wasn’t a terrorist. Fact: he had joined terrorist ranks just a few days before he was eliminated. Don’t belive in rumors. Legal action will be taken for spreading rumors,” tweeted Kulgam police.