Family Of Rajasthan Truck Driver, Killed By Terrorists In Kashmir, Refuses To Accept Body

The family members of Rajasthan truck driver Mohammad Illiyas, who was killed by terrorists in South Kashmir, on Saturday refused to accept his body, demanding a government job and Rs 15 lakh in compensation.

The family members of Illiyas' helper Jahid, who was also killed by the terrorists, however, received his body after holding talks with the authorities. Illyas and Jahid were killed by terrorists on Thursday when they had gone to ferry apples near Chittargamin in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district.

Another truck driver, identified as Jeevan from Hoshiarpur in Punjab, was injured when terrorists fired indiscriminately at the trio. The two trucks were torched by the ultras.

Illiyas belonged to Rajasthan's Alwar district. His family members on Saturday held a meeting near Mahrampur on Alwar-Delhi highway to demand Rs 15 lakh compensation and a job for one of his kin.

District administration officials are holding talks with his family members. So far, they have refused to accept the body, Kishangarh Bas, Tehsildar, Hemandra Kumar Goyal said. He said Illiyas' body was received Friday night and kept at a mortuary when the family members refused to accept it.

In Bharatpur district, family members of Jahid accepted the body after holding talks with local MLA Zahida Khan and district administration officials.

The family members have agreed to accept the body after agreeing on the compensation. Rs 2 lakh will be provided from the CM's Relief Fund, Rs 5 lakh by the Centre and Rs 50,000 by the Red Cross Society besides the benefits given to BPL families, SHO, Gopal Garh police station, Ramnaresh Meena said.

On October 14, terrorists shot dead the driver of a truck from Rajasthan and assaulted a Kashmiri orchard owner in Shopian district. The driver was identified as Sharief Khan.

Two days later, Punjab-based apple trader Charanjeet Singh was killed and another person, Sanjeev, injured when terrorists attacked them in Shopian.