Babar Rather
Srinagar, August 19 : The family of late Ahad Jan, the police officer who threw a shoe at the then chief minister Omar Abdullah during I-day function in Bakshi Stadium ten years ago, has not received the service benefits from the government.
Family members told news agency KDC that despite Abdullah forgiving him publicly authorities did not take concrete measures to provide pending dues of the police officer, who died in harness.
“We have been moving from pillar to post job and compensation but the government has failed to provide us any respite until now,” his son Shakeel Jan told.
“From former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti to all the present advisories to all officials at the helm in police department, we left no stone unturned to seek payment of our pending dues but no one helped us,” Jan said.
He said the family has gone into debt because the government has stopped releasing the pending service dues of their late father.
The family has appealed to present Lieutenant Governor of J&K Manoj Sinha to look into the matter for justice.
Jan stood up from the VIP gallery when Abdullah was taking a salute and hurled a shoe towards him on August 15, 2010. The shoe did not hit Abdullah.
Jan was overpowered by the Special Security Guards and was immediately taken into police custody. At least 15 security men were suspended for the security lapse.
Abdullah later praised Jan’s method of protest and bailed him out by announcing pardon on state-run electronic media DD News after arranging a face to face meeting with the cop.
Jan’s family alleged he died after being tortured in police custody
“Due to third-degree torture my father suffered damage in both of his kidneys and he died in harness on 18 Feb 2017,” Shakeel said. (KDC)
