Cong claims Mir barred from meeting kin of slain militant

Congress today claimed its Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh unit president Ghulam Ahmad Mir was today prevented by police from visiting the family of a former sarpanch-turned-militant, who was killed allegedly in an encounter with security forces on Thursday.
"Congress delegation led by Mir was barred from visiting Batagund village in Dooru today. The delegation was stopped at Jawahar Tunnel by the Police and was not allowed to move towards Veerinag for offering condolences to the family of deceased Sajad Malik," a Congress spokesman claimed.
He said police informed the delegation that there were "clear directions from the government no to allow Mir to visit his home constituency Dooru or offer condolences to bereaved family of Malik".

According to police, Malik was killed on Thursday night after he opened firing on an army patrol.
Malik had allegedly snatched a rifle from a police station where he was under custody and fled.
The Congress spokesman alleged that the police claim that Malik had decamped with an AK rifle from police station Dooru was to create an impression that he was killed in a retaliatory action.

Condemning the government for putting curbs on the opposition, Mir termed the move as "undemocratic and unethical".
Meanwhile JKPCC Vice president and MLC G N Monga, who is representing Panchayats in Legislative Council, was also barred from visiting Dooru.

Monga he was scheduled to visit residence of Malik, a former Sarpanch.