Custodial killing claims after 23-year-old who was picked up by Army is found dead in river in Kashmir

The body of Imtiaz Ahmad Magray, a resident of Tangmarg in south Kashmir’s Kulgam, was recovered from a stream on Sunday. The family said Magray was picked up by the Army some days ago, and alleged it was a case of custodial killing.

On Sunday, Health and Education Minister, NC’s Sakina Itoo, visited Magray’s family and called for an investigation. “It is unfortunate that an atmosphere of fear has been created. I want to request L-G sahib – Imtiyaz Ahmad was taken from his house and his body was recovered; there should be a judicial inquiry into it so that the truth comes out,” Itoo said. “His family also went to the camp and was told that he would be released soon.”

Itoo said Imtiyaz was a poor man who returned to the Valley 15 days ago after working as a labourer outside the state. “The L-G sahib should direct at least the Home Department that common people shouldn’t be harassed without a reason,” she said. “Everybody is hurt by the Pahalgam incident and our eyes are teary, but it is not right to harass people, arrest them or torture them. It is unfortunate. Such incidents shouldn’t happen in future.”

Former chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said, “Yet another body has been recovered from a river in Kulgam, raising serious allegations of foul play. Local residents allege that Imtiyaz Magray was picked up by the Army two days ago and now mysteriously his body has surfaced in the river.”

“The recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam appears to be a calculated attempt to derail the fragile peace, disrupt tourism in Kashmir and undermine communal harmony across the country. If a single act of violence can shake the entire system – triggering arbitrary arrests, home demolitions, and the targeting of innocent civilians – then the perpetrators have already achieved their objective,” she wrote on X.

Police, however, claimed Magray had confessed to having knowledge of a terrorist hideout and tried to escape while making his way there.

“Today morning, when CASO (cordon and search operation) was launched, the deceased went to the hideout spot (near the riverbed) under close supervision via videographed drone. Consequently, he jumped into Veshaw Nalla and probably tried to escape via the river route,” the police said. “It is also learnt that he was aware of the first terrorist hideout that was busted by security forces in the Tangmarg forest, where contact was established on April 23.”

Police said that while locating the “second terrorist hideout”, “he jumped into the river and died by suicide”.