Mohammad Raafi
KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
In a significant event of its kind, family members of Manzoor Ahmad Dar, a chemist of Rawalpora, who was subjected to enforced disappearance in 2002, will hold the funeral prayers in absentia of him on Tuesday, January 19th around 2 in the afternoon.
Bilquees Manzoor, daughter of Manzoor Ahmad, said, “the funeral prayers in absentia will be held on January 19 at 2 pm in Rawalpora High School ground,” she said. “The day coincides with 14th anniversary of my beloved father’s disappearance.”
“We also appeal to participate in protests on the day at Rawalpora chowk to raise their voice against enforced disappearance in Kashmir,” Bilquees said.
Manzoor Ahmad Dar, a chemist, was picked up from his home at Rawalpora by unidentified gunmen on intervening night of January 18/19 in 2002. Following massive protests, police station Saddar here filed an FIR under section 364 (abduction) against Army’s 35 Rashtriya Rifles. Subsequently, during the investigation, the name of Major Kishore Malhotra (now brigadier) surfaced as an accused.
On November 26 2015, the Special Investigation Team probing the custodial disappearance of Manzoor closed the investigation in the case. It concluded that the victim died in custody of Army’s 35 Rashtriya Rifles led by Major Kishore Malhotra after he was abducted from his residence in January 2002 and “his body could have been disposed off”.
“The custodial disappearance has occurred nearly about 14 years ago which clearly indicates that the disappeared person could have died in custody of 35 RR and accordingly section 302 (murder) of RPC is invoked,” reads the status report filed by the SIT in the Jammu and Kashmir High Court.
Manzoor’s family decided to offer funeral prayers in absentia for him—accepting the “likelihood of him being killed in custody”.
