Rawathpora remembers Rashid on second anniversary

Courtesy: Daily Greater Kashmir dated Oct., 20th, 2009 by SHAHID RAFIQ
Rawathpora (Kupwara), Oct 19: Rawathpora village in this frontier district Monday remembered Abdul Rashid Mir, 25, on his second death anniversary. On October 19, 2007 Mir was allegedly shot dead by a road opening party of army led by a subedar of 46 AD, after he had several times resisted the moves of army to taunt his female colleagues. People including teachers and his friends went to the graveyard where Mir was buried and offered fateh. They termed Mir a martyr of Kashmir struggle who sacrificed his life to save the honour and chastity of his two female colleagues.
“Rashid is a role model for every Kashmiri youth as he sacrificed his life to protect the dignity and chastity of his sisters” said Jawahira, his sister.
Mir was a first M. Sc Physics of the area and was working as a teacher in Government Middle School Marsary. Locals said that Mir had objected many a times to the absence comments passed by a subedar and other soldiers at his female colleagues. “He always used to accompany female colleagues so that army men won’t tease them on to their way to school and back home,” they said.
“But on October 19, 2007 Mir had to pay a price for it as he was shot dead by the troopers. On the fateful day Mir was returning alone after his duties and when he reached near the post he was shot dead. Army later claimed that the teacher was killed in accidental fire from a soldier’s rifle while being searched,” they added.
An FIR No-147/07,U/s 302 stands registered in police station Kralpora against Army’s 46 AD (Chowkibal based battalion) for killing the teacher. “Two years have passed but police is yet to charge sheet the accused. The killers of my son are roaming freely. Before my death I want to see the troopers responsible for my son’s cold blooded murder behind the bars,” demanded Rashid’s mother Zareefa. A middle rung police officer on the conditions of anonymity told Greater Kashmir that ‘case was not moving ahead as Army authorities were not cooperating with investigation team.’ “Despite several representations Army wasn’t ready to hand over duty log book of Oct 19, 2007 which contains the details of the troopers on road opening duty and name of their commander. We have recorded the statements of more than 22 eye-witnesses,” he added.