STRUCTURES OF VIOLENCE

368 | Structures of Violence
Alleged Perpetrators
1. Abdul Rashid Khan alias Rashid Billa, Sub-
Divisional Police Ofcer [SDPO], Jammu and
Kashmir Police
2. Ghulam Mohammad Mir alias Muma Kanna,
Government Gunman [Ikhwan]
Case Information
The victim, Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, went to Pakistan for
arms training and came back on 1 August 1990. He
was rst arrested during a crackdown on 17 March
1992. The crackdown lasted for three days starting
from 15 March till 17 March. The victim moved from
one place to another in search of hideouts. On 17
March, he was arrested from Sub-District Hospital
Pattan along with a doctor. Both the victim and the
doctor were taken to Badami Bagh Cantonment,
Srinagar. The doctor was released within a week. But
the victim was kept in detention till 29 January 1993.
Through this doctor, Zahoor sent information to his
family. But the family got information about him only
after one-and-a-half months. Then, they went to meet
him in Badami Bagh. The family met the victim thrice at
Badami Bagh. When the family met the victim for the
rst time, his right hand was plastered, implying he
was tortured while in detention. After sometime, he
was shifted to Kot Bhalwal Jail, Jammu. His family
went to Jammu twice to meet him. From there, he was
shifted to central jail, Jammu and then to central jail,
Srinagar and nally to Baramulla District Jail from
where he was released on 29 January 1993.
After his release, he started a medical shop. In 1995,
an unidentied Ikhwan entered his shop and started
ring. Zahoor received 5 shots and was taken to the
hospital where he underwent surgery and took around
7-8 months to recover. After that, he and his wife and
his one-year-old child shifted to Sanatnagar, Srinagar.
While in Srinagar, he was appointed as a teacher in
Government Primary School, Magam [Malburshan].
He used to travel back and forth from Sanatnagar to
the school daily.
In 1996, the army picked him up from his school at
Magam.A local Ikhwan named Muma Kanna
accompanied the army. He was arrested and kept in
Magam army camp for ve days. He was tortured in
the camp and was released after ve days. His wife
saw torture marks on his back. In Magam Camp, an
army major assured him about his safety as he was a
government employee and suggested him to return to
their house at Pattan. He then moved back to his
home in Pattan from Sanatnagar.
He stayed at home for about a month when the army of
Chaksari Camp again picked him up. He was picked
up at night and was kept for around ve days and then
released. The army, which came to pick him up,
informed the family about their camp and where they
could meet the victim. They also asked the family not
to worry. Upon his release, he was asked to go to
Palhallan camp every Sunday to mark his attendance.
He followed the instructions and resumed his daily life.
On 7 December 1998, at around 10:30 pm, ofcers of
the Special Operations Group [SOG] and government
gunmen came and picked him up from his home and
killed him at Zangam National Highway. He was picked
up violently in whatever position he was, without
shoes. SDPO Abdul Rashid Khan alias Rashid Billa
was present during his arrest. His family and
neighbors went to the police station to lodge a First
Information Report [FIR] but police personnel did not
let them enter the police station. On 8 December
1998, family heard the news of a person found dead in
Zangam. They went there at around 8 am and found
the dead body of Zahoor there. He had been shot on
his forehead. They brought him home and performed
last rituals.
His family tried to lodge an FIR but the police did not le
it. After some time, when they again went to the police
station, and they were handed over an FIR led by
police themselves. But the police falsied the
information stated in the FIR. The family also
approached DSP FarooqReshi to le a true FIR but he
did not pay any need. FIR no. 370/1998 at Police
Station Pattan was led on 8 December 1998 udner
Section 302 [murder] Ranbir Penal Code and 7/25
Arms Act. Further information on this FIR was sought
through RTI dated 15 July 2015.
The wife of the victim, Rumaya Sami, gave the above
statement to the IPTK on 9 June 2015.
The family of the victim has provided evidence on two
different incidents: torture, where Muma Kanna is
involved in the “arrest”, and his killing, where SDPO
Rashid Billa is involved. Both the alleged perpetrators
are clearly involved in both crimes but their exact role
would need to be further claried. Further
investigations are also required on who physically
tortured the victim and then who killed him. Also,
Ghulam Mohammad Mir has not been prosecuted and
instead he received recognition from Government of
India with the conferring of the Padma Shri, fourth
highest civilian award, in 2010.
Case No. 105
Victim Details
Gulzar Ahmad Bhat [Abduction, Wrongful
Connement, Torture and Extra-Judicial Killing]
Occupation: Mason
Son of: Ghulam Rasool Bhat, Fata
Resident of: Rangardhar Mohalla, Sadarkote Balla,
Bandipora District