Srinagar: Srinagar: Shops were open, there was no call for a shutdown or hartal, no crowds and the situation was largely peaceful amid tight security in Srinagar Tuesday, following the death of Kashmiri separatist Altaf Ahmad Shah in Delhi.
Shah, the son-in-law of late Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, died at Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Monday night of renal cancer. The incarcerated separatist leader was in jail since 2017, charged with funding terrorist activities in the Valley.
He was shifted to AIIMS from RML hospital a few days ago, after the family moved to the Delhi High Court.
“Abu breathed his last at AIIMS, New Delhi. As a prisoner,” tweeted his daughter Ruwa Shah. She tweeted the Quranic verse recited at the time of bad news, in Arabic: “Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un (‘Surely, we belong to Allah and verily to Him do we return’).”
Abu breathed his last at AIIMS, New Delhi. As a prisoner. https://t.co/EqxGyappW0
— Ruwa Shah (@ShahRuwa) October 10, 2022
Over the past few days, Ruwa Shah had posted a series of tweets about her father’s deteriorating condition. She even appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to release him on health grounds, so that he could “die a free man”.
Following Shah’s death, over 10 companies of local police were pressed into action along with an increased deployment of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), to keep a check on areas of downtown Srinagar, where Shah stayed. The area has been put on high alert and teams are also on standby, in case of any untoward incident, police sources told ThePrint.
“Srinagar remained peaceful through the day. All shops were open, there were no calls for any hartal, which is a positive sign. Adequate deployment has been made to ensure that no untoward incident occurs,” Deputy Inspector General, Central Kashmir, Sujit Kumar Singh told ThePrint.
More security for funeral
According to police sources, Shah’s body is expected to reach Srinagar late Tuesday evening, following which it will be taken to his home in Srinagar’s Soura in the downtown area.
Once the body arrives, more security will be deployed in the area to ensure that the funeral was “peaceful” and that there were no “anti-India slogans” raised.
When Geelani died in September last year, a video had emerged on social media showing his body purportedly wrapped in a Pakistani flag, and “anti-national” slogans were allegedly raised after his death. The Jammu & Kashmir police had also registered an FIR against unnamed persons.
After Geelani’s death, the Valley was locked down and internet and cellular services snapped to prevent a public funeral and protests.
“We expect crowds but our aim is to ensure that everything passes peacefully and that there are no demonstrations or violence. We will extend full support to the grieving family,” a police source said.
“We have not put any cap on the number of people who can attend the funeral. But we are prepared to deal with any unforeseen circumstances,” the source said.
Shah also tweeted that the family waited for hours to receive her father’s body.
“We have been waiting calmly at AIIMS mortuary. Nobody from police or Magistrate (Sana Khan — who was asked to be here for the body to be released) is here yet. The delay will worsen the situation. Have to be at airport 3 hrs prior to last flight at 18.30.”
We have been waiting calmly at AIIMS mortuary. Nobody from police or Magistrate( Sana Khan – who was asked to be here for the body to be released) is here yet. The delay will worsen the situation. Have to be at airport 3 hrs prior to last flight at 18.30 @PMOIndia @HMOIndia
— Ruwa Shah (@ShahRuwa) October 11, 2022
Reacting to Shah’s demise, People’s Democratic Party leader Mehbooba Mufti took a dig at the Centre accusing it of “mistreating all political prisoners” and “welcoming rapists”.
“This is not just about Shah whose family has been made to wait for his dead body. Remember Stan Swamy died in jail? So many activists, political prisoners who are in jail, and are suffering from serious ailments, are not being granted bail. In this government, criminals who have committed rape (Bilkis Bano case), are not just released but welcomed and facilitated while political prisoners are treated like this. They are not given bail even to spend their last days at home. If they claim that the situation here is normal, then why would they do this?” she told reporters.
Shah’s declining health in jail
Altaf Ahmad Shah was arrested on 24 July, 2017 in a terror funding case, by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
At the time of his arrest, Shah had diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia.
According to NIA sources, Altaf Ahmad Shah was admitted to Deen Dayal Uphadhyay Hospital in New Delhi on 16 September. After examination, it was found that he had developed Rt pleural effusion, along with Lt hydroureteronephrosis.
“He was referred to the RML Hospital for an opinion from urologists and further management on 17 September. His relatives were also informed. He was admitted in RML on 24 September through emergency referral from Central Jail Hospital, Tihar,” a source said.
According to the source, his diagnosis revealed “sepsis with left mild hydroureteronephrosis, urosepsis, severe anaemia, bilateral pleural effusion and acute kidney injury, along with co-morbidities type-2 diabetes with hypertension.”
Shah was admitted in the ICU under the supervision of specialists from critical care, Nephrology, Urology and the Endocrinology departments, the source said. During treatment, he was diagnosed with cancer of the left kidney with metastasis in multiple organs.
On 2 October, Shah developed breathing difficulties and low blood pressure, following which he was given immediate medical attention.
On 5 October, Shah was shifted to AIIMS, New Delhi but he passed away on 10 October during treatment.
Also read: Separatist leader Altaf Ahmad Shah dies in AIIMS of cancer, ‘as a prisoner,’ says daughter