UAPA Slapped on Father of Youth Gunned Down in Lawaypora Encounter

16-year-old Athar Mushtaq was among the three killed in an alleged encounter in Srinagar’s Lawaypora, on 30 December. Image used for representation.

(Photo: AP)

Seven people were booked on Sunday, 7 February under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) by the Jammu and Kashmir police, which includes the father of the youth who was gunned down in the Lawaypora encounter.

16-year-old Athar Mushtaq was among the three who were killed in an alleged encounter in Srinagar’s Lawaypora, on 30 December. His family has been protesting since the past month for the return of the teenager’s body.

The FIR was reported in Rajpora police station in Pulwama, under Sections 13 of UAPA, 147 (rioting), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 153 (provocation with intent to cause riot) of the IPC, reported Scroll.

“A violent mob appeared on the road. Wani and his brothers were leading the mob,” according to the FIR, noted The Hindu. The report added that, “Wani had organised the special prayer at the empty grave for his son, avoid any assembly during funeral,” according to the new police COVID-19 protocols.

The father of the deceased youth, Mushtaq Ahmad Wani from Pulwama, and his two uncles, Mohammad Shafi Wani and Mohammad Hussain Wani have been booked for ‘organising illegal procession under criminal conspiracy and were abetting anti-national elements’, confirmed a police officer to The Hindu.

The police had noted that the youth was an Over Ground Worker, which is a non-combatant member under a militant, reported Scroll. The family has denied this and claim the trio were killed in a ‘fake encounter’.

(With inputs from The Hindu and Scroll)