‘Made to sign blank paper’: Our son being made a scapegoat, alleges family of youth arrested in connection with July 18 Shopian ‘fake encounter’

Srinagar: The family members of a youth Tabish Nazir, of Sugan, Shopian Monday staged a protest at Srinagar and alleged that police had framed “false charges” against their son by connecting him with the July 18, Amshipora, Shopian ‘fake’ encounter.

“On August 12, our son Tabish Nazir was picked up by army first and then he was handed over to police. When we failed to trace our son, we went to DPL Shopian where a DySP Wajahat Ahmed, tore our missing complaint and instead asked me to sign on a blank paper,” local news agency KNO quoted Nazir Ahmed Malik, father of Tabish, saying as the family were protesting at press colony Srinagar.

“The DySP told me that he saved Tabish otherwise our son was to be branded as a militant,” Malik said.

“Now all of sudden my son is being linked with the July 18, Amshipora, encounter on the pretext that he gave information to army about three militants, which is a baseless charge,” said Malik.

Tabish’s mother also alleged that her son is “being framed” and is under detention since August 12.

“How come he is being connected with the Shopian encounter? The fact is that my son is a labourer and he was picked up by the army first and then handed over to police. Now he is being deliberately linked with the Amshipora encounter to save those who killed three innocent labourers from Rajouri,” she said with tears in her eyes.

Among the protesters were Tabish’s aunt and other relatives who demanded his immediate release.

“LG Manoj Sinha must intervene and find out the truth. Our son is innocent and has no link with the Amshipora gunfight. Now under a proper plan, he is being accused of something he has never done only to save army men who killed innocent Rajouri labourers,” the protesting relatives of Tabish, alleged.

“Our son was presented in the court without any information about us. He is being made a scapegoat to save others. This is ultimate oppression. Tabish was under detention since past 50 days and now suddenly he is being linked with the Amshipora gunfight,” they said.

Pertinently, the bodies of three Rajouri youth were exhumed on Saturday and handed over to their families. The trio was laid to rest at Rajouri amid sobs. The army had admitted that its men had exceeded the powers under AFSPA and police probe had found no militant link of slain trio.

The Kashmir Monitor will update the story as soon as we get a response from police.