Families of two slain militants who identified their kin through photographs on Sunday have accused government of delaying formalities of handing over bodies to them. Shabir Ahmad Bhat, brother of one of the slain Mudasir Ahmad Bhat told that the family reached Tanghdar on Sunday.
“We have clearly established from the photographs shown to us again at police station Tanghdar that one of the bodies is that of Mudasir,” he said. Similarly, Mohammad Yaqoob Sheikh, uncle of another slain Sheraz Ahmad Sheikh told that the family identified their kin from the pictures. They demanded the body should be returned without any delay to them. Both families alleged that despite approaching the administration on Sunday morning, the process to exhume the bodies and carry out other formalities is being delayed. They urged higher-ups to speed up the process so that the bodies are properly buried.
"There is the apprehension of law and order in Pulwama. The sooner we get the bodies the better it would be (for all)," the families said, adding that there should be no delay in handing over the bodies. "Tanghdar is almost 250 kilometres from Pulwama and Kulgam and it is not possible for us to travel daily nor can we stay there in wake of the ongoing holy month of Ramazan. As such, the bodies should be handed over to us within reasonable dispatch," the families added. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kupwara Ambarkar Shriram Dinkar told there is SOP with regard to it and it is to be followed. He said that DNA identification takes time and everything hinges on that.
“The bodies are not only to be exhumed but there are other formalities which are to be followed,” SSP Kupwara said, adding, "We are trying our level best to ensure that the whole process is completed as soon as possible.” The encounter broke out after the soldiers of 20 JAT intercepted a group of infiltrators near eagle post on May 25. Addressing a press conference, Brigadier PK Mishra, Commander Tanghdar Brigade also had claimed that 5 militants have been eliminated. “We had credible intelligence inputs that there is likely to be an infiltration in the sector because of which we had placed a number of interception groups to trap these militants,” Mishra had said.
On the night of 25 and 26th May, Mishra had said these militants walked into this side where the ambush was placed and they were killed. “The troops on the ground have succeeded in foiling the infiltration bid of a group of militants which were very heavily armed. They had modern weaponry, modern equipment. They were carrying under barrel grenade launchers and we succeeded in eliminating them without any casualties to our troops which is indeed credible,” he had said. He also claimed recovery of huge quantity of arms, ammunition, food items and other equipment from the possession of the slain militants. The recovery, Mishra said, include five 7.62 mm AK-47 rifles, one pistol with magazine, eight rounds, carts 7.62 mm AK-47 (546), one UBGL, six grenade UBGL, nine hand grenades and other equipment including medicine and food items.
“The recoveries are indicative of actively aiding and abetting of this kind of a movement by Pakistan because you see a lot of food items equipment with Pakistan markings on them,” Mishra had said.