Hurriyat expresses grief over Altaf Shah’s death

Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Tuesday expressed grief over the death of jailed Kashmiri separatist leader Altaf Ahmad Shah.

Shah, the son-in-law of late pro-Pakistan Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, died of cancer at the AIIMS on Tuesday, days after he was taken to the hospital on the orders of the Delhi High Court.

“All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) expressed shock and grief over the death of Altaf Ahmad Shah (Fantoosh), who was under detention in Delhi’s Tihar Jail since 2017,” the Hurriyat said in a statement.

Shah suffered from renal cancer and despite repeated appeals from family for bail, he was denied it and only very lately taken to AIIMS where he breathed his last, it said.

“APHC expresses grave concern over the plight of the Kashmiri prisoners who have been languishing for years in various jails in India including Tihar. Due to lack of proper medical facilities, the ailing prisoners lives are always at risk,” the statement said.

The separatist amalgam appealed to the government to ensure that better care and adequate medical facilities are provided to the prisoners.