Mufti Alleges Foul Play After OGW Jumps in J&K River, Drowns; BJP Slams Her
In a shocking incident, an overground worker (OGW) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district jumped into a river and drowned, sparking allegations of foul play by former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. The incident has led to a heated political row, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) slamming Mufti’s remarks.
According to reports, the OGW, identified as 35-year-old Muhammad Rafi, was picked up by the Army two days ago. However, locals claimed that he was still being held captive when he jumped into the river and drowned on Tuesday.
Mufti, the president of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), took to social media to express her concerns over the incident. “Foul play suspected in Kulgam, Jammu and Kashmir. Locals say the OGW was picked up by the Army two days ago. How did he manage to jump into the river and drown? The truth needs to be revealed,” she tweeted.
The BJP, however, has strongly refuted Mufti’s allegations, accusing her of spreading misinformation. Sanju Verma, a BJP leader, responded to Mufti’s tweet, saying, “Mehbooba, after the Pahalgam terror attack, said, ‘Why blame Pakistan?’ Now, you’re alleging foul play in Kulgam. Your politics of confusion and division is well-known, but this is too much.”
Verma’s comments were seen as a reference to Mufti’s previous statements on terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2017, Mufti had said that the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed seven Amarnath pilgrims, was not a clear-cut case of terrorism and that Pakistan should not be blamed for every incident.
The OGW’s family has also demanded a thorough investigation into the incident. “We want to know what happened to our son,” said Rafi’s father, Muhammad Sultan. “We want justice.”
The incident has once again highlighted the simmering tensions between the PDP and the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir. The two parties have been at odds over various issues, including the ongoing political unrest in the region.
The PDP has been vocal about the alleged human rights abuses by the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. Mufti has repeatedly accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of using the Army to suppress dissent and intimidate opposition leaders.
In response, the BJP has accused the PDP of being soft on terrorism and of providing a platform to separatist leaders. The party has also criticized Mufti for her alleged links to the Pakistan-based terrorist organization, Hizbul Mujahideen.
The Kulgam incident has further escalated tensions between the two parties, with neither side willing to back down. As the situation in Jammu and Kashmir continues to deteriorate, it remains to be seen how the political stalemate will be resolved.
