Farooq says row over custodial death political stunt

Union minister for new and renewable energy Farooq Abdullah today slammed out at the opposition which is baying for Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah's blood over the alleged custodial death of a National Conference worker.

Union minister for new and renewable energy Farooq Abdullah on Thursday slammed out at the opposition which is baying for Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah's blood over the alleged custodial death of ruling National Conference (NC) worker Syed Mohammad Yusuf.

"It is a political stunt. They (PDP leaders) want power at any cost. It was Omar, who on his own, ordered a judicial inquiry. It is a National Conference worker who has died; why are they beating their chest about it," Farooq Abdullah told repoters.

Coming out in support of his son, Farooq said that Omar has nothing to do with the NC worker's death and that people should wait for a judicial probe.

Yusuf, 61, an NC worker from south Kashmir's Anantnag district, had allegedly taken Rs 1.2 crore from two fellow party workers, promising them berths in the state ministry and legislative council.

Omar had handed him over to the state crime branch on September 29 for investigations.

According to the crime branch, he died at the Srinagar police hospital after complaining of nausea and chest pain. The state government on Monday claimed a preliminary post-mortem report showed Yusuf had died of cardiac arrest.