ibn sultan
Kulgam, Nov 17: A dry fruit seller from Qazigund, who set himself on fire after being picked up for questioning in connection with the ongoing terror module investigation, succumbed to his injuries at SMHS Hospital in Srinagar after midnight, officials said on Monday.
The deceased, Bilal Ahmad Wani, had sustained critical burn injuries on Sunday afternoon when he set himself ablaze in Qazigund shortly after being released from police custody. He was initially shifted to a hospital in Anantnag, but as his condition deteriorated, he was referred to SMHS Hospital where he died during the night.
Officials said Bilal and his son, Jasir Bilal, had been detained for questioning in relation to the terror module case under investigation. While Bilal was released the same day, his son continues to remain in custody for further questioning.
Wani lived in the neighbourhood of Dr Muzaffar Rather, who has emerged as a key accused in what investigators are calling a white collar terror module. Dr Muzaffar is believed to be currently in Afghanistan. His younger brother, Dr Adeel Rather, was arrested from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh on November 6 as part of the same probe.
Authorities have not commented on the circumstances that led to Wani’s self-immolation. Locals in Qazigund expressed shock over the incident and demanded clarity from the administration on the sequence of events that preceded the act.
Police sources said further legal and procedural steps will follow as per standard protocol, and additional details may emerge after internal reviews linked to the case. (CNS)
