Authorities in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir, have launched independent probes into the death of a tribal man identified as Makhan Din amid allegations of custodial abuse and suicide. District Magistrate Rakesh Minhas ordered an official magisterial inquiry to determine the cause of death.
The 25-year-old Billawar resident from the Gujjar community was found dead late Wednesday. The inquiry team, led by Tehsildar Lohai Malhar, has been instructed to submit a detailed report within five days, recording witness statements and following legal procedures.
Shiv Kumar Sharma, DIG at Jammu-Samba-Kathua Range, initiated a departmental inquiry. Police have ordered an immediate report and urged public cooperation while dismissing accusations of custodial killing. Authorities claim Din was interrogated and released, after which he consumed insecticide at home.
Police alleged that Din was the nephew of militant Swar Din alias Swaru Gujjar, who resides in Pakistan. They accused him of aiding militants responsible for an ambush in Badnota in July 2024 that killed four soldiers.
Makhan Din’s confession video
Before his suicide, Din recorded a confession video in a mosque, accusing the “SHO of Billawar” of falsely charging him as an Over Ground Worker (OGW) and subjecting him to “brutal 3rd-degree torture.” He placed a copy of the Quran on his head, swearing, “I have no links with any militant organisations but the SHO constantly tortured me physically and forced me to accept his made-up story.”
In the video, Din stated, “I am dying by suicide so that no one else is subjected to ‘torture’ and ‘humiliation’ by the police the way I was subjected.”
His death sparked massive protests, with the area sealed off and internet services suspended.
Political reactions
Former chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti condemned the incident on X, stating: “Shocking news from Kathua: Makhan Din, aged 25 from Perody, Billawar, was detained by the SHO of Billawar on false charges of being an Over Ground Worker (OGW). He was reportedly subjected to brutal thrashing and torture, forced into a confession, and tragically found dead today.”
“There’s an ongoing crackdown, with more individuals being picked up. This incident appears to follow a troubling pattern of targeting innocent youths on fabricated charges. I urge the DGP @JmuKmrPolice to initiate an immediate investigation,” tagging Jammu and Kashmir police.
Rameshwar Singh, the Bani legislator, claimed that police took Din and his 65-year-old father to the station, where they were subjected to custodial torture. He confirmed that Din admitted to this during his video recording at a mosque.
Former chief minister Omar Abdullah also responded. “I have seen the reports of excessive use of force & harassment of Makhan Din in police custody in Billawar leading to his suicide and the death of Waseem Ahmed Malla, shot by the army under circumstances that are not entirely clear.”
“Both these incidents are highly unfortunate and should not have happened. J&K will never be completely normalised and free of terror without the cooperation of & partnership with the local population. Incidents like these risk alienating the very people who we need to carry with us on the road to complete normalcy. I have taken up these incidents with the Union Government & insisted that both incidents are inquired into in a time-bound, transparent manner. The Government in J&K will also order its own inquiries,” he added.
Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq condemned the alleged custodial torture. “After large-scale arbitrary arrests throughout the valley, deaths of two persons, one in Kathua of a Gujjar tribal youth Makhan Din by suicide after custodial torture, and the other in Sopore of truck driver Wasim Malla by shooting by forces during the past two days while highly condemnable is very disturbing. The unfortunate saga of extrajudicial killings and rights violations of people of J&K continues as the perpetrators are never brought to book. This cycle will never cease until accountability is established and justice delivered,” he said in a post on X.
Truck driver killed at army checkpoint
On the same day as Din’s suicide, a truck driver was killed when the army fired at his vehicle for allegedly ignoring a security checkpoint in Baramulla, north Kashmir.
According to police, the truck loaded with apples failed to stop at the checkpoint. Security forces fired at the tyres but reportedly misfired, killing 32-year-old driver Waseem Majeed Mir from Sopore’s Bomai village.
