Srinagar, A civilian died in police custody under controversial circumstances in Pulwama district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, leading to widespread calls for an inquiry. The deceased, identified as Imtiaz Ahmed Pala, a local mechanic, reportedly succumbed to injuries sustained from alleged police torture.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Pala was detained at Litter Police Station in Pulwama where he was subjected to torture that led to his death. Following the incident, he was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead by medical professionals.

The family of the deceased has accused the police of arresting and subsequently killing Pala. They are now demanding a fair and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death. In response to the incident, various political and human rights organizations in the region, including APHC spokesman Abdul Rashid Minhas and groups such as the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples League, Jammu and Kashmir Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, and the Democratic Freedom Party, have issued statements condemning the act and honoring Pala’s memory. These groups emphasized that the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people in their struggle for justice would not be forgotten.