The Jammu and Kashmir administration, on Thursday night, handed over the bodies of two locals to their families for burial. Altaf Bhat and Dr. Mudasir Gul were among the four killed during an anti-militancy operation at Srinagar's Hyderpora on Monday.
The bodies were earlier exhumed around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday from the two graves located at a far-off hillock, Wadder Zachaldara, in north Kashmir's Handwara in front of a local magistrate.
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Official sources said the bodies of Bhat, who owned the building where the incident took place, and Dr. Gul, who had rented accommodation in the building, were taken to the Police Control Room (PCR) in Srinagar from Handwara. The close relatives were also called to the PCR and the bodies were handed over to them for burial at their ancestral graveyards in Srinagar, officials said.
Family sources of Bhat and Gul said the bodies would be buried before the sunrise at the Barzalla and Pirbagh graveyards. With relatives and locals waiting for the bodies to arrive, emotional scenes were witnessed at the two residences.
Separatist Hurriyat has already called for shutdown on Friday over the incident. The killings have triggered a series of protests in Kashmir from the families, locals and political parties.
Srinagar Mayor, Junaid Azim Mattu, while confirming that the bodies were exhumed at Handwara earlier, said, "This is the first step towards ensuring justice is done in this case. I also hope the magisterial probe is now changed into a judicial probe."
However, the body of third slain local, Amir Magray, son of Abdul Latief Magray, who has won the bravery award for killing a militant with a stone, was not exhumed or handed over to the family yet.
"The return of two bodies is a step forward. But what about Aamir Magray of Ramban? His body ought to be returned as well," People’s Democratic Party (PDP) spokesperson Suhail Bukhari said.
Earlier, Section 144, which bars assembly of more than five people, was imposed in three villages of Magray's native place Ramban.
The families of Magray, Bhat and Gul had contradicted the police statement that they were killed in exchange of firing during an encounter or had any links with the militants. They accused the security forces of staging the encounter and using the civilians as a human shield. The J&K administration has already ordered an inquiry into the incident.
