Youth beheaded in Kashmir

A youth abducted by militants this week was found beheaded on Friday in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district, drawing widespread condemnation.

The torso of 25-year-old Manzoor Ahmad Bhat was found in Hajin in the Kashmir Valley.

Police sources said the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) had abducted the youth and his father, Abdul Gafar Bhat, from Hajin on Wednesday.

"The father managed to escape from the clutches of his abductors although he sustained a bullet injury. He is now being treated," a source said.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah denounced the "inhuman act".

Abdullah said he was not surprised over separatists neither condemning nor calling for protests over the brutal murder.

Abdullah said: "Any shutdown call or call for peaceful protests for Manzoor Ahmed whose decapitated body was found after he'd been abducted and killed by militants? No? I'm not surprised."

Mehbooba Mufti said: "The brutal killing of young Manzoor Ahmad is highly condemnable but should also serve as a reminder of where society is headed. The scourge of terror has hit a new low as the brutality of this act has left us all in shock."

--IANS

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