Protesters Seek Remains Of Kashmir Youth Two Weeks After Killed In Alleged Army Encounter
Seventeen days after Rashid Mughal’s death in an army encounter, locals protest, demanding his body’s return and transparency in the ongoing magisterial inquiry.
Published : April 17, 2026 at 7:07 PM IST
Srinagar: Seventeen days after the killing of Rashid Ahmad Mughal in an army encounter in Ganderbal district, residents and relatives of the 29-year-old held a peaceful protest demanding the return of his mortal remains for burial. The community has also called for transparency in the ongoing magisterial inquiry, ordered by the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor.
Dozens of youths from Chunt Waliwar village in the district held a peaceful protest today, marching through the lanes while raising slogans and carrying a banner bearing Mughal’s photo.
Protesters said that more than two weeks have passed, yet the inquiry has not been made public, and Mughal’s family has not been informed of its progress. “We don’t know yet about the inquiry report so far. We urge the LG administration to hand over the mortal remains of Mughal to his family,” said Nasir Khan, one of the protestors.
Earlier, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) functionary Iltija Mufti had visited the Mughal family and supported their demands. The party had condemned the killing and declared him its worker.
Mughal was allegedly killed by the Army in an encounter in Arhama forests of Ganderbal on March 31. “During the night of 31 Mar 26, the cordon was tactically reorganised amidst the intermittent firing underway. Own troops effectively retaliated with a calibrated response resulting in one terrorist eliminated,” Srinagar based Chinar Corps had posted on X.
Following the gunfight, the Army has not revealed the identity of the slain, and the Jammu and Kashmir Police, involved in the operation, have also refrained from issuing any statement about the alleged encounter.
Later, he was laid to rest in a quiet funeral attended by seven family members in the Zachadara area of Kupwara district. Mughal’s elderly brother, Ajaz Mughal, identified his body at the Police Control Room (PCR) in Srinagar after being called for identification.
The bodies of militants in Kashmir are buried in Kupwara and Baramulla near forests after the COVID-19 pandemic. Security officials said that this was done to avoid law and order issues during funerals of local militants. The family of Mughal, however, disputed and dismissed the encounter claim of the Army and alleged that he was killed in a ‘fake encounter’.
A commerce post graduate, Mughal was helping locals with online documentation of local administration. Following outcry by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference MP from Srinagar parliamentary constituency Aga Ruhullah Mehdi, the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor ordered a magisterial inquiry.
The Home department of the Union territory which is under the authority of the LG has asked the Ganderbal District Magistrate (DM) to conduct thorough and impartial magisterial inquiry within a week.
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