Srinagar, Nov 17 Former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday that the two persons killed in an encounter at Hyderpora in Srinagar on Monday were civil who died because they were put in harm's way.
In a series of tweets, the National Conference leader asked how can Altaf and Gul be termed as militants, adding that their bodies must be returned to their families so that they can be buried.
"The police admit that they took the building owner (Altaf) and the tenant (Gul) into the building and used them to knock on the doors. How can these people be termed as militants? They were civil who died because they were put in harm's way," Omar tweeted.
"To vilify them as militants or OGWs is bad enough, but to take the bodies away and forcibly bury them in North Kashmir is a crime against humanity. The bodies must be returned to the families so they can be buried. It's the only just thing and it's the only humanitarian thing to do," he said in another tweet.
Earlier on Wednesday, the family members of Altaf Ahmed and Mudassir Gul, who were killed in the encounter at Hyderpora in Srinagar on Monday, staged a protest at the press colony in Srinagar.
They said that Altaf Ahmad and Mudassir Gul had no involvement in militancy, demanding that their bodies be returned to them.
As per the police, four persons were killed in the encounter at Hyderpora, including a foreign militant identified as Haider and his accomplice.
Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar said in a press conference on Tuesday that an over-ground worker (OGW) for the militants, Mudassir Gul, and the house owner, Altaf Ahmad, were killed during the encounter. He said the house owner was killed in cross firing, while Gul, who lived on rent in the building, had provided shelter to Haider and his associate.
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