Army begins probe into alleged torture death in Kashmir

Local youth Ali Murtaza's family say he was killed while in the custody of the army's secret service.

ISLAMABAD: The army has said it is investigating the alleged torture of a local youth that led to his death last week in Azad Kashmir, BBC News reported.

Ali Murtaza’s family says he died while he was in custody of the army’s secret service near the border in Kotli sector earlier this month.

The killing generated uproar and calls for a “fair inquiry” from both the media and civilians.

Murtaza’s family members told BBC that he went missing on February 17 when he left his home to visit relatives in a village near the Line of Control (LoC).

His body was later delivered to the family by the local administration of Kotli, according to the family.

Member of the legislative council of Azad Kashmir Chaudhry Mehboob told BBC, “He died in the custody of the army, and he was tortured.”

Several political parties have staged protests over the killing and have called for a transparent inquiry into the matter.

This incident comes while tensions run high between Pakistan and India along the LoC. Five soldiers from both sides have been killed in attacks in recent weeks.