Militants 'torture' youth to death in Kashmir

A youth, who was allegedly tortured by militants after his abduction in Kulgam district of south Kashmir on Wednesday, succumbed to injuries on Thursday.

Police said militants had on Wednesday abducted two youths, Mehraj Ahmad and Arif Ahmad. They were released in the evening in a “moribund condition," police said, adding that Arif succumbed to injuries in a Srinagar hospital.

In the recent months, dozens of people, including policemen on leave, have been abducted by militants on suspicion of being informers of security forces.

While several of them were set free after warnings, a few of them were shot at and injured or killed. Videos in which some of them admit to informing militants have been shared on social media too.

A local English daily, quoting sources, said Arif was working as an over ground worker (OGW) for Lashkar-e-Toiba when its top commander Abu Qasim was active in south Kashmir. Qasim was killed in a gun battle at Bugam village in Kulgam district in October 2015.