By Agence India Press,
Srinagar: In a major wake up call for the Omar Abdullah Government, the doctors who carried the post mortem of the Nazim Rashid who died in police custody in Sopore Last week, has confirmed torture marks were on the body, authoritative sources said here.
The 26-year-old Nazim on July 31 and his death triggered protests in north Kashmir and in other districts of Kashmir which rendered Cheif Minister Omar Abdullah sleepless night to book the officials involved .
“Though we have preliminary evidence confirming the torture marks but we have to wait forensic reports “a top police official told Agence India Press.
Sources further revealed that the sub Muhammad Ahsan Mir, the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) of Sopore who is conducting the magisterial inquiry into the youth’s
death, has concluded that the Nazim was not placed in any lock-up and it was detained by the Sopore camp of the special operations group (SOG)
In the wake up the killing the state government has already transferred Altaf Khan, Sopore Superintendent of police, in order to ensure a “free and impartial” investigation into Rashid’s death
Meanshile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Thursday said it has taken cognizance of a complaint about the death of a 28-year-old man in police custody in the Sopore town of Jammu & Kashmir.
The National Human Rights Commission sought explanation from Jammu and Kashmir Police as to why it did not intimate it about the death of a youth in custody within the stipulated 24 hours.
According to a statement, the commission received a complaint from a human rights organisation alleging that Nazim Rashid was tortured to death by the Special Operation Group (SOG) of police and army officials in Sopore in July this year.
‘The family members of Nazim alleged that their son was picked up by the SOG of police in the presence of army officials July 30, 2011, for questioning in connection with the killing of a labourer, Muhammad Ashraf Dar, by militants,’ the statement said.
They later found out through some journalists that their son died in police custody and a post mortem examination was conducted.
An NHRC spokesperson said in the statement that the Commission has asked its Director General (Investigation) to collect requisite reports from concerned
authorities within eight weeks and report to it.
The complaint was with regard to the death of Nazim Rashid in police custody in Sopore of North Kashmir on July 31.