Bullet-riddled bodies were of Hizbul militants, claims its chief

“Amir <g data-gr-id="25">Reshi</g>, Ashiq Ahmad and Naveed were activists of Hizbul Mujahideen and had joined the outfit ranks recently,” said its chief Syed Salahuddin, who is based in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), while addressing his outfit’s cadres.

Bullet-riddled bodies of the three men, with torture marks, were recovered from an orchard, 30 km from Pattan area of Baramulla district on Monday, triggering protests and clashes between residents and policemen.

Salahuddin, according to a statement issued by Hizbul Mujahideen spokesman Saleem Hashmi, insisted that the slain militants did not belong to Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI), considered a breakaway faction of the outfit.

Police sources had on Monday said the deceased belonged to LeI and were <g data-gr-id="27">suspectedly</g> killed in an inter-group fight. “This outfit (LeI) does not exist,” said Salahuddin, who also heads the United Jehad Council (UJC), an amalgam of various militant outfits.

“The trio were active members of the (Hizbul Mujahideen) outfit and were killed in custody,” Salahuddin was quoted in the release.

Parts of North Kashmir, including the native places of the slain men, observed a shutdown for the second day on Tuesday.

Hardline Hurriyat Conference and JKLF have called for a general strike across Kashmir against the “<g data-gr-id="22">cold blooded</g>” murder of the three men.

Meanwhile, JKLF chairman Mohammad Yasin Malik was detained by the police at Tarzoo village, <g data-gr-id="30">while</g> on his way to Sopore to express <g data-gr-id="29">condolence</g> to the bereaved families, a spokesman of JKLF said.