Srinagar, Mar 2: Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday demanded a “genuine probe” into the death of Kupwara man who had allegedly gone missing after being taken away by the Army in December.

Police said the body of Abdul Rasheed Dar, a resident of Kunan Kupwara was found on Wednesday morning from a forest area and the body was brought to Sub District Hospital Kupwara where it was identified by the relatives of the missing person.

After all medico-legal formalities , the body was handed over to the family members for burial. Protest had erupted in Kunan after the body reached the native village. The protesters demanded justice and investigation into Dar’s disappearance from Army’s custody.

There were allegations that the Army picked Dar, a driver by profession from his home on the evening of December 15 and next day, the family was informed that he had escaped from their custody.

Mufti said that what “transpired after the Army picked him up for questioning months ago is anybody’s guess.”

“Extremely disturbed to see pictures of the mutilated body of Abdul Rashid from Kunan Poshpora. Wasn’t allowed to visit the family under the pretext of security .What transpired after the Army picked him up for questioning months ago is anybody’s guess,” she tweeted.

She alleged that in “absence of any accountability” such incidents have been “normalised” after 2019- the year when J&K’s special status was scrapped.

“Probes & inquiries fail to nail culprits & deliver justice. A genuine probe needs to be ordered,” she said. “Until then the least LG administration & Army can do is to take steps by providing a government job & financial assistance to the victim’s family who have lost their sole breadwinner.”