Omar Abdullah seeks apology from PDP in Haji Mohammad case

SRINAGAR: The death of Haji Mohammad Yousuf in 2011 has become a political issue in Jammu and Kashmir as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah sought an apology from the PDP for terming a natural death as murder but the opposition party hit back at him.

Omar, while addressing a party convention at Handwara yesterday, said the opposition PDP should apologise for levelling false and baseless charges of murder in Yousuf's death case.

"The PDP projected the unfortunate death of Haji Yousuf in a manner as if I had committed a murder myself. They levelled serious allegations against the then IG Crime ( Raja Aijaz Ali) which is not hidden. The pen-inkpot people branded him the murderer. Today the same police officer (post retirement) is their candidate from Uri assembly seat," Omar said.

He said the PDP should admit that their allegations were wrong and "apologise for it".

General Secretary of the PDP Mohammad Dilawar Mir hit back at the chief minister saying, he may try to present himself as a leader with a clean image but that will not help him.