Family alleges foul play, says Rizwan was ‘killed’ in police custody
Pulwama: The family of private school teacher Rizwan Asad Pandit said that he was picked by National Investigation Agency (NIA) accompanied by local police two days ago.
According to his brother Zulkarnain, Rizwan was picked up by forces during a raid at their house on August 16 last year however, police kept him in ‘illegal detention’ for about 10 days and later he was booked under Public Safety Act.
“My brother was kept again in illegal detention after his PSA was quashed and later he was released,” he said, adding that “two days before, forces raided our house and took Rizwan with them and on Monday morning, we went to see him in the Police Station Awantipora, where we were informed that he has been shifted to SOG CARGO camp in Srinagar.”
They advised us not to communicate with anyone about his arrest as he will be released very soon, he said.
However, in this morning, the family was informed about the killing of their beloved in custody by some relatives, he said.
Police claims are fabricated that Rizwan tried to flee away, he was arrested several times but he never tried to escape, said his father Asadullah, Rukn of Jama’at-e-Islami and a retired government employee.
“He has no links with any militant organisation and yes we are associated with Jamaat-e-Islami and that is not a crime,” he said, adding that “we don’t believe in their investigation as their orders are mere eyewashes and no one has got justice here in Kashmir from the last 30 years.”
Meanwhile, the family refused to go to Srinagar to bring the body home, saying that “we won’t take body from PCR or any other police establishment.”
The friends of Rizwan moreover, said he was a very intelligent and brilliant person and was following principles of Islam since his childhood in letter and spirit.
He was working as a Principal at a local private high school and was also running a coaching centre in locality where he was teaching Chemistry to students of different classes including 11th and 12th, said one of his friends.
He was leading prayers sometimes in a local masjid and was always giving us a message of love, respect and peace, he said.
The students of Rizwan who were among the mourners were also seen crying loudly. They said “Rizwan Sir was inspiration for dozens of students.”
“I miss my Sir so much. He was my inspiration and his art of teaching was unique,” Shahid Ahmed, one among his students said.
Meanwhile, several youth sustained injuries during the day-long clashes in Awantipora.
Soon after the news of Rizwan’s killing spread in the area, youth took to the streets and started pelting stones on government forces, which was retaliated by pellet firing, tear smoke and sound shells in which many youth got injured.
Furthermore, a spontaneous shutdown was observed in many parts of southern Kashmir against the custodial killing.
Jahangeer Ganaie
