Srinagar, March 20 (KNO) : On Wednesday, Srinagar administration transferred the magisterial probe into the death of young school Principal Rizwan Asad Pandit of Awantipora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district and the final outcome is expected within four weeks. A million dollar question remains as to whether the probe into Rizwan’s death to be conducted by the additional district magistrate will be taken to its logical conclusion or it would meet the same fate as that of other probes ordered in the past.
Rizwan’s brother, Zulqarnain told KNO that they don’t believe in probes as such probes were mere eye-wash in the past over 20 years. “We have no hope or expectations from the probe ordered into my brother’s death. I can only say that he was killed in a cold blood,” he told KNO.
Sitting on the verandah of his house, a shattered Assadullah Pandit, father of Rizwan said that when a contingent of the J&K police raided their house at around on Sunday, the family was warned not to tell anybody about Rizwan’s arrest.
“They took away my son, assuring us he would be released the next morning. But today I got a call from the police that my son has died. It is cold-blooded murder. How could they kill my son and then ask me to take the body home?” asked Pandit, who is an active member of Jamaat-e-Islami – socio-religious organisation that was banned last month by the Centre. “Probes are mere eye-wash. Have seen so many probes in the past, what is the outcome. Was anybody punished, I guess no,” he said, amid sobs.
Noted human rights activist, Muhammad Ahsan Untoo told KNO that he has filed more than 300 petitions regarding custodial killings or deaths in Kashmir at the hands of forces. “But I don’t remember even a single case, where culprits involved in the acts were punished. There are many cases where guilty were even identified but they were not arrested let alone booked as per the law,” he said.
In the case of Rizwan, Untoo has also filed a petition seeking a thorough probe. “This is my job, but I don’t think guilty would be punished,” he said.(KNO)