The Jammu and Kashmir government has cleared an ex gratia payment for the next of kin of 17 people, including Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani's brother, killed in militancy-related incidents in the Valley.
Burhan Wani's killing by security forces in an encounter in south Kashmir's Kokernag on 8 July this year triggered unrest in the Valley, which has left as many as 86 people dead.
Among the 17 names in the list of people killed in militancy-related incidents is Wani's brother, Khalid Muzaffar Wani, who died in firing by security forces in the Buchoo forest in Tral on 13 April last year.
The army had said that Khalid was an overground worker of Hizbul Mujahideen and was killed in an encounter. However, locals claimed that he had no links with militancy.
Khalid (25) was pursuing a master’s degree in Political Science from the Indira Gandhi National Open University.
According to a notification issued on Monday by the Deputy Commissioner of Pulwama, ex-gratia relief has been cleared by the District Level Screening-cum-Consultative Committee (DLSCC) in favour of the next of kin of people who died in militancy-related incidents.
Under the rules, an ex-gratia payment of Rs four lakh is sanctioned in such cases.
Also on the list is Shabir Ahmad Mangoo, a contractual lecturer who died when he was allegedly beaten up by the army personnel at Khrew in Pulwama on 17 August this year.
Locals had claimed that the army conducted house-to-house searches for youths who were leading violent protests in the area, which was resisted by the residents of Khrew.
In the ensuing clash, 30-year-old Mangoo died.
The government has given one week's time for filing of any objection before formal orders for releasing the ex-gratia payments are issued.
(With inputs from PTI)
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)