They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Sometimes, it screams only one: barbarity.
The shocking image of a toddler sitting on the bullet-riddled, bloodied body of his grandfather stirred up outrage in the Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJ&K). And the numbing pain was felt by all those who believe in humanity everywhere in the world.
Even India’s jingoistic media couldn’t ignore the heartbreaking photo after it went viral on social media. The image tells of the grim situation in IOJ&K where millions of Kashmiris have been living in India’s chokehold since last August.
Blinded by economic interests, the international community looks on like a silent spectator as a humanitarian crisis is unfolding right in front of their eyes. But if this chilling image would not awaken the world to the suffering of the Kashmiri people, then what else would?
Hundreds in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir staged protests on Wednesday & Thursday, accusing the occupation forces of martyring an elderly man whose grandchild can be seen sitting on his body in a shocking image which was widely shared on social media.
The family of Bashir Ahmed Khan said that he was dragged out of his car and shot dead by the paramilitary troopers. His three-year-old grandson, who was travelling with him, was later pictured sitting on his chest.
Indina paramilitary police spokesperson Junaid Khan, on the other hand, alleged that the freedom fighters opened fire from a mosque attic in the northern town of Sopore, setting off a battle with security forces.
"Locals said that he (Bashir) was brought out of his car and shot dead by the forces," Farooq Ahmed, a nephew of the martyr told AFP.
"They told us that someone in uniform then put the child on his chest as he lay dead on the road and took photographs," Farooq Ahmed said.
The heartbreaking photo of the child sitting on the body of his dead grandfather was widely shared on social media.
Hundreds assembled at the martyr's funeral near Srinagar, shouting "We want freedom" from Indian rule.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while condemning the horrific incident, said that this was the real face of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's fascist India.
Indian forces have intensified human rights violations against Kashmiri people since a coronavirus lockdown was imposed in March.
Since January, at least 229 people have been martyred during over 100 military operations across IOJ&K, according to the Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), a rights group.Viral picture of the three-year-old has sparked outrage with family accusing armed forces of killing the victim.
The family members accused the security forces of putting the child on the deceased civilian's body 'for taking pictures' [Screengrab]
A picture showing a three-year-old child sitting on his grandfather's dead body in Sopore town of Indian-administered Kashmir has stirred anger in the Muslim-majority region, with the family of the deceased accusing the security forces of killing the 65-year-old civilian during a gunfight.
"My brother was not a militant. He did not carry a gun. Why was he killed?" Nazir Ahmad, brother of the victim Bashir Ahmed Khan, asked.
"If you want, I can come with you to meet the top police officers to counter their claims," he told Al Jazeera.
The police rejected the family's allegations, saying the civilian vehicle had gotten caught in a gun battle between rebels and security forces.
Vijay Kumar, inspector general of police in Kashmir, told reporters that rebels opened fire at security forces from a mosque in the northern town of Sopore, setting off a gun battle on Wednesday. Kumar said one security official was killed and three were injured.
"The family is being pressurised by the militants to blame it on the security forces," Kumar said.
But the victim's family continued to contest the police claim. "We received a call that my father had met with an accident," Khan's son, Suhail Ahmad, told Al Jazeera.
"When we reached Sopore, we were told he was killed in a crossfire. If it was a crossfire, his body should've been inside the car, but it was found on the road."UN chief on Kashmir violence
The spokesperson for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that those responsible for the killing of the Kashmiri civilian and Indian soldier need to be brought to the account.
"We will look into it. But, obviously, people who are responsible need to be brought to account, but let me look further into the report," Stephane Dujarric said on Wednesday.
Government forces have intensified operations against rebels since a coronavirus lockdown was imposed in March.
Since January, at least 229 people have been killed during more than 100 military operations across Kashmir, including 32 civilians, 54 government forces and 143 rebels, according to the Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS), a rights group.
For decades, rebel groups have fought for the region's independence or its merger with Pakistan. Since 1989, the fighting has left tens of thousands dead, mostly civilians.
India has more than 500,000 troops stationed in Kashmir, a Himalayan territory also claimed by Pakistan.
India accuses Pakistan of arming and training rebels. Islamabad denies the allegations.
India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir, a region both claim in entirety but rule parts of.
