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Shutdown in Kashmir Valley over teacher’s custodial death
Rizwan Pandit, a 29-year-old school principal, was allegedly picked up by police from his home in south Kashmir’s Awantipora on Sunday evening in connection with a “terror case”. He died in custody on Monday, triggering clashes in the Valley.
Normal life was affected in Kashmir Valley on Wednesday as authorities imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar amid a shutdown called by separatists against the custodial death of a school teacher in south Kashmir.
Rizwan Pandit, a 29-year-old school principal, was allegedly picked up by police from his home in south Kashmir’s Awantipora on Sunday evening in connection with a “terror case”. He died in custody on Monday, triggering clashes in the Valley.
A police spokesman said on Tuesday Pandit had been in custody in “pursuance of a terror case investigation” when he died. Pandit’s family alleged it was a “cold-blooded murder”.
Most of shops, businesses and schools were closed in Srinagar while traffic movement was affected in sensitive areas. The attendance in government offices was thin. The shutdown also affected life in other district headquarters of the Valley. Mobile internet services were stopped in south Kashmir while the speed was reduced in central Kashmir, including capital Srinagar. “Restrictions were imposed in places falling under five police stations of downtown while there were partial restrictions in Maisuma and Kralkhud areas,” said a police official on Wednesday.
“The police wanted to maintain law and order. So far the situation has remained under control,” he said.
The separatists called a shutdown and protests while mainstream politicians such as Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti condemned the incident and demanded that the government fix responsibility. The administration has started a magisterial probe while police have also started their own investigations.
There have been a demand for registration of a murder case. National Conference chief spokesman Aga Roohullah said that the death happened in “state custody so responsibility falls on the governor”.
“Some reports suggested that this teacher was in NIA custody…In both situations whether the custody was with NIA or local police, the responsibility falls on governor’s office,” he said. The governor’s rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir on June 19, 2018 when the Mehbooba Mufti-led People’s Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party government was reduced to minority following withdrawal of support by the BJP. When the governor’s rule expired on December 19, 2018, President’s rule was imposed in the state. Roohullah said that the governor must clarify under whose custody the death happened. Meanwhile, the NIA has denied reports linking it with the Rizwan Pandit case.
