J&K: Former ikhwani Papa Kishtwari dies of cardiac arrest in Srinagar

Notorious counter-insurgent Gulam Mohammad Lone alias Papa Kishtwari dies of a heart attack in a police hospital in Srinagar. He was jailed for the last 12 years for murdering a contractor in custody. Kishtwari's reign of terror in South Kashmir in the mid-1990s send shivers down the spines of common people. He was accused of custodial killings and abductions.

Srinagar: Accused of the murder of several civilians, former Ikhwan Papa Kishtwari, died on Thursday due to cardiac arrest, officials said.

"He was not doing well for quite some time and was brought here regularly for check-ups," Dr Bilal Raja, Medical Superintendent of Police hospital in Srinagar, told ETV Bharat.

He further said, "Today afternoon, Kishtwari had a cardiac arrest resulting in his death."

Ghulam Muhammad Lone alias Papa Kishtwari was accused of over 150 killings in Kashmir and had also contested parliamentary and assembly elections along with his wife. Currently, he was lodged in Srinagar's Central jail for cases mostly relating to murders.

Earlier, in June, Zahoor Ahmed Mir from Nishat area of Srinagar outskirts staged a protest at Press Enclave Srinagar demanding stern punishment to Kishtwari for killing his father.

According to Mir, his father Ali Mohammad Mir was tortured and killed by Kishtwari along with his associates.

"Kishtwari was arrested by police and I am thankful to them. We want justice now, and the killer should taste the power of law,” he had said while adding that his father was killed by Kishtwari 24 years ago in 1996.

He had also said, "We were unable to get the body of our beloved one. Kishtwari after killing him dumped somewhere and till date we don't know where the body of my father is buried."