Youth’s body found in Kulgam; Mehbooba demands probe into alleged foul play

SRINAGAR — Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday called for a probe into alleged foul play after a youth’s body was recovered from a river in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

The body of Imtiyaz Magray (23), son of Nazir Ahmad Magray, was recovered from a river at Adbal Wattoo area of DH Pora, two days after residents alleged he was picked up by the Army, she said.

The body was handed over to the relatives after completing medico-legal formalities at the District Hospital Kulgam.

Imtiyaz was a resident of Tangmarg. He was working as a labourer.

“Yet another body has been recovered from a river in Kulgam, raising serious allegations of foul play. Local residents allege that Imtiyaz Magray was picked up by the army two days ago and now, mysteriously, his body has surfaced in the river,” Mehbooba said in a post on X.

Mehbooba said the recent attack in Pahalgam appears to be a calculated attempt to derail the fragile peace, disrupt tourism in Kashmir and undermine communal harmony across the country.

“If a single act of violence can shake the entire system—triggering arbitrary arrests, home demolitions, and the targeting of innocent civilians, then the perpetrators have already achieved their objective. Allegations of misconduct, whether in Bandipora encounter or in this latest incident in Kulgam, are deeply troubling and warrant a thorough, impartial investigation,” she said.

Meanwhile, police sources claimed that the deceased was an Over Ground Worker (OGW) and had links with militants.

The body was recovered from the river by locals, following which police were informed, sources from the police said and added that a police team reached the spot and took custody of the body for medico-legal formalities.

Police sources, quoted by the news agency KNO, said Imitiaz had confessed to knowledge of a hideout with the presence of two Pakistani militants.

“Today morning, when CASO was launched, the deceased went to the hideout spot (near river bed) under close supervision via videographed drone, consequently, he jumped into Vishaw Nallah and probably tried to escape via river route,” the sources were quoted as having told the news agency.

It is also learnt that he was aware of the first hideout that was busted by security forces in Tangmarg forest, where contact was established on April 23, the officials claimed.

“Today, while locating the second terrorist hideout, he jumped into the river and died by suicide,” officials said, adding that legal proceedings have been started in this regard.

Following the deadly April 22 attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 25 tourists and a local resident, security forces have intensified their crackdown across the Kashmir Valley, targeting militants and their Over Ground Workers (OGWs).