Srinagar, Nov 18: Amid outcry, authorities on Thursday exhumed bodies of two residents—Mohammad Altaf Bhat and Dr Mudassir Gul—from a graveyard at Wadder Zachaldara Handwara where they were buried along with two other persons who were killed in the ‘encounter’ at Hyderpora here on Monday.

Official sources said bodies were exhumed under the supervision of Tehsildar Handwara in presence a team of doctors. They said the bodies are being sent to Srinagar for handing over same to the families.

Slain Altaf Bhat

Sources said that families have been asked to limit the funeral to few people only. Also restrictions have been imposed in the area to prevent “law and order”.

The families of the duo contested police claims and had been demanding their bodies for “proper” burial.

This morning Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced magisterial inquiry into the incident and soon Altaf Bhat’s brother Abdul Majeed welcomed it and said the family also demands that the killers of his sibling be brought to justice.

A controversy has erupted over Monday’s encounter in Hyderpora following conflicting claims about the two deceased as their family members contested the police’s charge that they were “terror associates”.

Slain Dr. Mudasir Gul

Four persons were killed in Hyderpora encounter on Monday evening. However, families of three slain contested police claim stating that the slain were innocent.

Police chief of Kashmir Vijay Kumar admitted that building owner Altaf Ahmed was a civilian who got killed in a cross fire but stated that Dr Mudasir Gul was an OGW while the third one identified as Amir Ahmed.

The fourth slain was identified as a foreign militant Haider by the police.

Families of Altaf and Dr Gul staged protest at press enclave till late night forcing police to foil the protest by taking the protestors into preventive custody. The arrested persons were later released. The families were demanding bodies of Altaf and Dr Gul, who according to police have been laid to rest at Handwara.

There has been a massive outcry over the Hyderpora encounter across Kashmir with mainstream leaders including former chief minister’s demanding handing over of bodies of Altaf and Dr Gul back to their families for burial besides demanding an “impartial probe.”