Jammu: A 21-year-old Muslim youth, Mohammad Parvez, was killed in an alleged police encounter in the Satwari area of Jammu. The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with his family and local activists claiming that it was a fake encounter and demanding an independent probe.
Parvez, a resident of Javed Nagar, Nikki Tawi, reportedly sustained bullet injuries during a police operation and was rushed to the Government Medical College in Jammu, where he succumbed to his wounds. According to the police, the shooting occurred during a raid under the anti-drug operation named “Operation Clean-up” in the Phallain Mandal area. SP City South Ajay Sharma stated, “During the raid, in a retaliatory action, one person was injured and later died.”
However, Parvez’s family, community members, and tribal rights activists reject the police narrative. Talib Hussain, a prominent tribal rights activist, stated that Parvez had no criminal background or FIRs registered against him. He emphasized, “This is a fake encounter. If the police suspected him of anything, they should have arrested him. Instead, he and his brother-in-law were intercepted at a checkpoint and shot without reason.”
Hussain also pointed to a pattern of targeted harassment, particularly of the Gujjar community, saying, “For months now, the police have been targeting Gujjars under the pretext of cattle or drug smuggling. We kept silent, but not anymore. This injustice must be challenged.”
Parvez had recently gotten married three months ago and came from a family involved in sand mining. His loved ones, activists, and locals held protests following his death, questioning what justice would look like for his grieving widow and demanding transparency in the investigation.
Authorities have announced an inquiry is underway, but the family continues to demand an independent probe to ensure justice is served.
