Burhan Wani’s slain brother on relief list

Conflicting claims over the killing of Khalid Wani in Pulwama’s Tral area

Khalid Wani

The name of the brother of slain Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani has figured on the compensation list of the Jammu and Kashmir government.

Khalid Wani, 25, was killed on April 13, 2015, in a forest area of the Tral region in Pulwama. The Army then said Khalid was a militant who was killed in a firefight. The youth’s family rubbished the Army report, and alleged that it was a case of custodial death.

Speaking to

The Hindu , Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, Muneer-ul-Islam, said his department had issued a public notice last week of 130-140 pending cases of victims of subversive activities, especially those militancy-related.

“The notice is aimed at inviting individual or institutional response in case of any objections. The process is required because many times the cases turn out to be fabricated or false. In this particular case [of Khalid], we are yet to receive any objection from any side. The office is open to objections and the required follow-ups,” said Mr. Islam. The list of deserving cases for compensation was worked out by the Revenue Department on the basis of the first information reports lodged in the district.

“A section of the Revenue Department is supposed to prepare the list of the victims who may have died in a crossfire or in militancy-related activity. The government also looks into the cases of damaged houses during encounters,” said Mr. Islam.

The name of Khalid has figured at No. 9 on the list. “We have not distributed any compensation. We still await the objections in the listed cases,” said Mr. Islam.

Ex gratia

If the case is clarified by the government, Burhan’s family may get an ex gratia of up to Rs. 4 lakh or the next of Khalid’s kin may be given a job.

Speaking to a Web portal, Burhan’s father, Muzaffar Wani, said he might not take the money, but might consider a government job for his youngest son, who is a Class 12 student.

“It seems just a due administrative process. I don’t think any compensation has been issued. It’s no political issue but an administrative one,” Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s media adviser Suhail Bukhari said.