ibn sultan
Jammu: A 21-year-old man was shot dead during a police operation in the Sure Chak area of Jammu on Wednesday, triggering widespread protests and allegations of a ‘fake encounter.’
The deceased, Mohammad Parvez, a resident of Javed Nagar, Nikki Tawi, was reportedly injured during a police raid targeting suspected drug peddlers and later succumbed to his injuries at Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu. Fmily members and activists are demanding a fair investigation.
According to a report by Daily Excelsior, police said a team from the District Special Branch (DSB) and Police Post Phallain Mandal was chasing suspects in Sure Chak under Satwari Police Station when they came under fire. Police claimed that 12–15 grams of a heroin-like substance was recovered from Parvez’s possession, and that a manhunt has been launched to trace his associate, who fled the scene.
youth was shifted to GMC Jammu, where he succumbed. Police maintained that action was based on specific input about drug peddling.
However, the deceased’s family has refuted these claims, staging a protest outside the hospital. Daily Excelsior reported that the family accused police of staging a ‘fake encounter’ and said Parvez was innocent and had no links to drug trafficking.
Speaking to reporters during protest, one of Parvez’s brothers was quoted saying: “My brother was not a criminal. He had no past record. He was murdered by the police. Even if they believed he was involved, he could have been arrested, not killed.”
According to The Wire, Parvez had left home on the afternoon of July 24 with his brother-in-law to buy medicines. Near the Surre Chak area, they reportedly encountered a group of men in civil clothing. A family member told The Wire that the duo feared they might be vigilantes and tried to flee, during which Parvez was shot.
Police sources told The Wire that the team in civil clothing was part of a special unit conducting anti-drug raids and came under stone-pelting. They claimed they fired “a few rounds in retaliation,” one of which fatally injured Parvez.
A senior official at GMC Jammu confirmed to The Wire that Parvez was “brought dead” to the hospital.
Videos shared from the protest outside GMC showed grieving family members demanding justice. “If a Gujjar walks on the road, can the police shoot him just like that?” asked Mohammad Farooq, Parvez’s brother. “We are six brothers. None of us have a police record. Let them check all FIRs—if even one of us is named, shoot us all.”
Parvez, who had recently married, was the youngest of 12 siblings. His family refused to accept the body until late Thursday, according to Daily Excelsior. Heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces was reported at the hospital.
The incident has drawn strong reactions from political and tribal leaders.
Chief minister of JK, Omar Abdullah, posted on X, “The killing of Mohd Parvez of Niki Tawi in Jammu is highly unfortunate & deeply regrettable. Use of force by the police has to be calibrated & cannot be indiscriminate. J&K has paid a heavy price in the past because of incidents such as these. This incident should be investigated in a transparent & time bound manner. I send my condolences to the family of Mohd Parvez. May Allah grant him Jannat.”
Form JK CM, Mehbooba Mufti wrote on X, “Mohammad Parvez a tribal youth was killed by the police at Surat Chak, Police Station in Satwari yesterday. He’s now been labelled as a drug dealer but even that may be the case we still live in a democratic country where justice is served through rule of law as opposed to khap panchayats or kangaroo courts. Sincerely hope the DG takes cognisance of this shocking incident by ordering a time bound impartial probe. We must not descend or condone a culture of extra judicial encounters because that’s precisely what alienates people.”
Aam Aadmi Party MLA from Doda, Mehraj Malik, alleged that Parvez was killed in cold blood. He wrote on his X handle, “Fake Encounter by J&K police. Even if he was a drug smuggler who gave Police the right to kill? Are we now living under a system where police act as judge, jury, and executioner? Is this the ‘New India’ and new ‘law and order’ under the LG where bullets replace trials, and action is taken against poor only.” He also tagged Manoj Sinha.
Tribal activist Talib Hussain told The Wire that there were no criminal charges or FIRs against Parvez. “Gujjars are being targeted in the name of drug and cattle smuggling. If he was guilty, they should have booked him. No law allows the police to kill him like this,” he said, alleging the involvement of a senior BJP leader.
Police have stated that further investigation is underway, and the body was eventually sent for post-mortem. However, till late Thursday night, it had not been handed over to the family, Daily Excelsior reported.
