Protests in Valley against teacher's custodial death

Srinagar, March 21 (IANS) Protests were held on Thursday in Srinagar city and Awantipora town of Jammu and Kashmir against the custodial death of the private school teacher this week.

National Conference leaders Ali Muhammad Sagar, Nasir Sogami and others took carried out a protest march from the Nawa-e-Subha party headquarters here demanding stern action against those responsible for the death of 28-year-old Rizwan Asad Pandit in police custody on Monday.

Police intercepted the march at some distance from the party office, after which the protesters dispersed peacefully.

Protests were also held in Pandit's hometown Awantipora, where family and relatives of the youth demanded exhumation of the body to show the torture marks it bore.

The family has dismissed reports that he had tried to escape from police custody. 

Members of the local Sikh community joined the protests to demand justice for the youth.

Authorities had earlier ordered a magisterial inquiry by Additional Commissioner, Srinagar, but after it became clear that the youth had died in police custody in Khrew area of Pulwama district, the inquiry will now be held by the Assistant Commissioner, Pulwama.

Violence had broken out in Awantipora on Tuesday as the news of Pandit's death reached.

Police had said that Pandit was arrested last week in connection with a militancy related case and died during Monday night.