Since details of the alleged killing of a young Kashmiri man emerged online, outrage and sorrow have spread, prompting political parties in the Valley to call for a thorough investigation.
Zubair Ahmad Bhat, aged 30 and a resident of Ali Kadal, Srinagar, passed away in Delhi under unclear conditions on Tuesday.
His family asserts that he traveled to Delhi for work and was attacked there, with suspicions of foul play also raised.
A family relative, speaking anonymously to Maktoob, shared that the mother received Zubair’s final messages.
“They are grieving deeply, and Eid will never feel the same. They got messages from Zubair,” he explained.
Bhat had sent a series of text messages to his sister, accusing Delhi Police of beating him due to his Kashmiri identity. However, the family learned of his death the following day.
The situation escalated when People’s Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti alleged custodial torture by Delhi Police.
“Zubair Ahmed Bhat didn’t die under mysterious circumstances. Let me bite the bullet & state the unpleasant truth. His family claims he was picked up by Delhi Police, questioned & thrashed with rods. This 30-year-old man was the sole breadwinner for his mother & siblings. When will this pattern of snuffing out the lives of innocent Kashmiris purely on suspicion end? We demand answers & accountability. @DelhiPolice @JmuKmrPolice,” Mufti posted on X.
Earlier, the victim’s mother and sister told the media that Bhat had sent his last message to his sister, after which they received news of his death.
“He wrote to his sister that he would return tomorrow and that they (Delhi Police) had beaten him with rods. Don’t tell my mother, she will die,” his mother recounted to the media.
Mufti, who visited the family, noted that they showed her Zubair’s final texts.
“They showed me his last message, which said the police caught him and took his Aadhaar card. He messaged his sister and wrote, ‘The police caught me because I am Kashmiri. They took my Aadhaar card, and then they beat me with sticks. I am in a hotel. May God have mercy.’ His family says he left Jammu for Delhi. After reaching Delhi, the police at one of the stations, I think it was Lajpat Nagar, caught Zubair, took his Aadhaar card, and beat him. The next day, when he went back to collect his Aadhaar card, they beat him again. And when he returned home, he died,” she explained.
Chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, visited Bhat’s family home in Srinagar.
“Mirwaiz assured the family that he stands with them and the people in their pursuit of justice for Zubair. He reaffirmed his commitment to continue raising his voice against injustice and to seek accountability, so that such tragic incidents are not repeated,” his office stated on Friday.
Meanwhile, Congress leader and AICC chairman of media and publicity, Pawan Khera, demanded a response from Delhi Police regarding Bhat’s death.
“In the capital city, a young Kashmiri dies under mysterious circumstances and not a word of it gets discussed in mainstream media? If you don’t question the authorities, obviously the authorities won’t give you answers. @DelhiPolice needs to respond to questions surrounding the death of Zubair Ahmad Bhat,” he said on X.
National Conference spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar called for an impartial investigation.
“In this age of technology & smart policing, I fail to understand how a death could be termed mysterious. Clear the air around the death of Zubair Ahmad in Delhi @DelhiPolice. We demand an impartial, time-bound probe into the incident,” Dar stated.
Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari urged the J&K administration to address the issue with Delhi authorities.
“It is now the responsibility of the J&K administration to take up this matter with the authorities in Delhi to ensure that the truth behind his tragic death is fully uncovered,” Bukhari said.
Despite the allegations, Delhi Police have denied the claims, suggesting Bhat died from a drug overdose. This incident has reignited concerns about the safety of Kashmiris, particularly following the Pahalgam attack.
Speaking to Maktoob, Nasir Khuehami, National Convenor of the J&K Students Association, said the event has heightened fear among Kashmiri students and laborers working across the country.
He added that while other regions had instances of harassment against Kashmiri students, Delhi was considered safer until now.
“However, this incident has changed that. An already stressed student body and Kashmiri laborers who were feeling unsafe are at their limit after this incident. There are also so many allegations against the police authorities by the family, and it has been 4-5 days since that happened—then why are the authorities not taking any action?” Khuehami questioned.
The student association has written to the Home Ministry and is attempting to arrange meetings on the matter.
“From what we can see, the Delhi Police is not taking the matter seriously. Even the Delhi Chief Minister has not said anything on this matter. Despite our demands for an FIR, nothing has been registered,” he added.
