Billawar, Baramulla incidents taken up with Centre: Omar

Jammu, Feb 6: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the backdrop of Billawar and Baramulla incidents on Thursday said that he has taken up the matter with the Centre while the government of Jammu and Kashmir will also order own inquiries.
A suspected Over Ground Worker, who was called for questioning, died in Billawar. Police, however, said that he had committed suicide.
Meanwhile, a truck driver was killed in a firing incident after he allegedly ignored a security checkpoint in the Baramulla district of North Kashmir during the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.
Taking to X, Abdullah posted, “I have seen the reports of excessive use of force and harassment of Makhan Din in police custody in Billawar leading to his suicide and the death of Waseem Ahmed Malla, shot by the army under circumstances that are not entirely clear.”
“Both these incidents are highly unfortunate and should not have happened,” Abdullah wrote on X and said, “J&K will never be completely normalised and free of terror without the cooperation of and partnership with the local population.”
“Incidents like these risk alienating the very people who we need to carry with us on the road to complete normalcy,” he said adding, “I have taken up these incidents with the Union Government & insisted that both incidents are inquired into in a time bound, transparent manner.”
“The Government in J&K will also order its inquiries,” Abdullah posted.