Unjust Bloodshed in IIOJK: Social Activist in Kupwara Suffered a Fatal Blow

The escalating violence in IIOJK has once again claimed an innocent life — this time, a 43-year-old social activist, sparking outrage and sorrow across the region.

In a disturbing act of state violence, Indian troops fatally shot a 43-year-old Kashmiri social activist, Ghulam Rasool Magray, in the Kupwara district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). This latest tragedy has intensified concerns over India’s growing state terrorism in the region.

Late Saturday night, Indian armed personnel forcibly entered Magray’s home in Kandi Khas, Kupwara. According to eyewitnesses, they shot and wounded him before fleeing. Despite efforts by locals to rush him to Handwara’s Government Medical College Hospital for treatment, Magray succumbed to his injuries on the way to SMHS Hospital in Srinagar due to severe internal damage.

Magray lived with his elderly mother, Hajira Begum. His only brother had migrated to Muzaffarabad in Azad Jammu and Kashmir years ago. Hajira, devastated by the incident, shared her account with the media. She recalled how, around 11:00 PM, two armed men speaking in a Hindi-like accent broke into their house, hurled insults, dragged her son outside, and shot him in the courtyard.

“He was a simple laborer. He harmed no one,” she cried. “He was my only support. Just days ago, he had promised to take me for eye surgery in Srinagar. I’ve already lost vision in one eye and barely see from the other. Now I’ve lost my son too.”

The killing has sent shockwaves through North Kashmir. Many in the region are questioning the motive, especially since the area is heavily patrolled by Indian military, paramilitary, and police forces.

The All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) condemned the killing. APHC spokesman Abdul Rashid Minhas expressed alarm at what he called the routine murder of innocent Kashmiris by Indian forces. He stated that the occupying authorities were now operating without any legal checks or accountability, backed by India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its Home Minister, Amit Shah.

Minhas emphasized that Kashmiris were being targeted simply for advocating their right to self-determination. He referenced similar killings in Bandipora, Baramulla, and Uri, accusing Indian troops of using violence to suppress the will of the people.

Despite ongoing oppression, the APHC spokesman affirmed that the people of Kashmir would not give up their struggle. He honored the sacrifices of the martyred and stood in solidarity with their families, declaring that one day, their sacrifices would pave the way to freedom from India’s illegal occupation.