Probe exonerates Omar in NC worker's death case

The magisterial probe ordered by the Jammu and Kashmir government into the death of the prominent ruling National Conference worker Haji Mohammad Yusuf has exonerated state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, holding that 'Haji had died of natural death'.

The probe had been ordered by the government after Haji Yusuf died in the custody of state crime branch to which he was handed over by Abdullah after summoning him to his residence on September 30.

The probe was conducted by the additional district magistrate Srinagar, Mohammad Akbar Ganaie, who has submitted the report to the government.

The death of Haji Yusuf had triggered a political furore in the state forcing the government to order the magisterial probe. The government has also ordered a judicial probe headed by a retired Supreme Court judge Justice H S Bedi.

"As I am required to determine the cause of death of the deceased after examining 57 witnesses and making physical examination of hospital, crime branch as well as chief ministers camp office in Srinagar, I have come to the conclusion that Haji died due to cardiovascular arrest without any external, physical assault, force, injury or mischief upon his body or due to negligence of any authority," the report said.

"As such the cause of his death on September 30, 2011, at about 9:45 am in police hospital Srinagar is a natural death due to heart attack and not an act of any other person from CM's camp office or crime branch headquarters or police hospital," the report said.

Exonerating the chief minister of any role in Haji Yusuf's death, the report says that 'any kind of misbehaviour/torture is a distant dream as during the stay at chief ministers camp office, the deceased was not alone for a single minute and during that time the CM was having various engagements with different persons'.