Open grave and wailing father await dead body of only son
Shahana Butt
Press TV, Indian-controlled Kashmir
Since the onset of a global pandemic, the authorities in Indian-controlled Kashmir have denied last rites to the families of those killed during gun battles.
Authorities say the fear of virus spread and to avoid law and order issues such steps are taken. 16-year-old Athar Wani, Aijaz Mabool and Zubair Lone, killed during 2020's last gun battle were no exception to this new ritual of ‘distant burial.
The families of the three youths deny government claims and accuse the authorities of dubbing them as fighters. Press TV visited Ather Wani's family living in the southern district of Pulwama. Ather's father has repeatedly asked authorities to return his son's dead body and in this waiting process he has dug a grave in his ancestral graveyard. Both father and the Grave are now waiting.
Authorities have denied his demands fearing protests in this fragile region. Analysts say these funeral processions were the only means through which people would give vent their sentiment. Earlier in June 2020 three civilians were killed in a staged gun battle in Kashmir and dubbed as foreign militants by an Indian army captain to lure cash Rewards. Following the incident, people of Kashmir now fear for the safety of their young ones.
Analysts say Kashmir authorities’ denial to return the dead bodies of local fighters to their families is a clear violation of the Geneva conventions to which India is a signatory. The move is seen as a pretext for suppressing the anti-India sentiments that become more prominent during such funerals.
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