Kashmiri man dies in Delhi hospital: Family alleges police torture, cops deny

Indian Express

a day ago

The death of a 30-year-old Kashmiri garment salesman at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital has sparked outrage in the Valley. Zubair Ahmed Bhat's family has pointed fingers at the Delhi Police, alleging he was beaten up at the local police station. People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti and Chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference Mirwaiz Umar Farooq have come out in support of the family.
Speaking to The Indian Express, his 24-year-old brother Faizan alleged: 'On May 28, Zubair texted us, saying he had been beaten up by the police. The police said that he banged his head on the wall. Then why is there no injury?'
Police, however, maintained that Zubair was found injured in Southeast Delhi's Lajpat Nagar on May 29. They said he was taken to Safdarjung Hospital in a PCR van and died on June 2. Police also said Zubair was suffering from migraine-related issues and that the injuries he sustained were self-inflicted.
DCP (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said the allegations of police beating up the deceased are false. 'On May 28, around 2 pm, the deceased got a call from his family. He then had a chat with his siblings, where he claimed that he was beaten by the police. On May 29, he checked out of the hotel at 11 am, and, around 6 pm, police got a PCR call from the Lajpat Nagar 2 area. CCTV footage of the time between May 28, when he claimed to be beaten, and May 29, when we got the PCR call, shows that he was roaming around in the Lajpat Nagar area and looked physically healthy,' he said.
He added, 'The deceased was never taken to the police station. He was taken to the hospital from the spot after a PCR call… in front of 50-60 people.'
Zubair was the only earning person in his four-member family, comprising his brother, sister, and mother.
Speaking to the media last week, PDP's Iltija Mufti said, '… What was his fault? That he is Kashmiri? Is being Kashmiri a crime?… And where is the NC government? They are absolutely silent on this. They are not able to protect the youth of Kashmir. They should come and meet the family. Their MLAs haven't been elected to inaugurate showrooms and collect ribbons.'
'I request that the government give the family long-term relief. Not just cash relief, give them government jobs,' she added.
Farooq also visited the family last Friday and offered condolence prayers with them. The X handle of the Office of Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir said, '… Mirwaiz assured the family that he stands with them and the people in their pursuit of justice for Zubair.'
Congress's Pawan Khera also raised questions. In a post on X, he wrote: 'In the capital city, a young Kashmiri dies under mysterious circumstances and not a word of it gets discussed in mainstream media? If you don't question the authorities, obviously the authorities won't give you answers. @DelhiPolice needs to respond to questions surrounding the death of Zubair Ahmad Bhat.'
According to Zubair's sister, Iqra, he left for Delhi last Tuesday. 'He worked with Kashmir Arts — he was a salesman. He would work in Bangladesh during the winters and in Kashmir during the summers. When he reached Delhi, he called and told us that he had booked a hotel in Lajpat Nagar.'
His family said Zubair was supposed to pick up his fiancée, a Bangladeshi national, from the airport. They were to be married in August.
But when Faizan called his brother on the evening of May 29, he said a policeman answered and said Zubair was sick. 'He said he has been admitted to Safdarjung Hospital. Our family friend from Bangladesh, whom Zubair was supposed to pick up from the airport, rushed to the hospital,' he said.
On May 30, Faizan and his family reached the hospital from Srinagar. On Monday, Zubair succumbed to his injuries.
The family took the body to Ali Kadal in Srinagar for the last rites.
The post-mortem report from Safdarjung Hospital, seen by The Indian Express, lists the cause of death as septicaemia and related complications.
It says the patients had a history of high fever, HCV (Hepatitis C virus) with AFI (Acute Febrile Illness) and AMS (Altered Mental Status). Upon arrival at the hospital, the report states, he was diagnosed with septic encephalitis with pneumonitis with sepsis with MODS (multiple organ dysfunction syndrome).
Police said further investigation is underway.