Anantnag, Oct 19: Grief and anger erupted in south Kashmir’s Kokernag on Monday as family members and locals staged a protest after the body of a 28-year-old labourer, who had been missing for weeks, reached his native village from Punjab.
The grieving family members and locals blocked the road, wailed and beat their chests while demanding justice.
The grieving family told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that Dar had initially travelled to Srinagar for work before leaving for Ludhiana in Punjab in search of employment. “We remained in regular telephone contact with him for about a week, after which his phone was switched off and he could no longer be reached,” said a family member.
He said that on October 17, the family and locals staged a protest in Hallpora, expressing concern over Dar’s disappearance and seeking urgent efforts to trace him.
On Monday morning, after his body reached the village, family members and locals staged another protest outside Police Station Kokernag, alleging that Dar had been murdered and demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible.
A police officer told KNO that a missing report was lodged on September 26 regarding Aijaz Ahmad Dar, son of Abdul Majeed Dar, a resident of Darpora, Hallpora, Gadool in Kokernag.
He said police had assured the protesters that the case would be investigated fairly and taken to its logical conclusion. The protesters dispersed following the assurance.—(KNO)
