Altaf Ahmad Shah was the son-in-law of late Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani. — Indian Express


Altaf Ahmad Shah was the son-in-law of late Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani. — Indian Express
  • Altaf Shah was imprisoned since 2018.
  • Shah was diagnosed with cancer.
  • India had denied his release on medical grounds.

Incarcerated Kashmiri leader Altaf Shah passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences early morning Tuesday morning, said his daughter.

“Abu (father) breathed his last at AIIMS, New Delhi. As a prisoner,” tweeted Ruwa Shah.

Shah was the son-in-law of late Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and was imprisoned by the Indian authorities in 2018, along with several other leaders, in an alleged terror funding case.

Last month, Ruwa, who is a journalist, shared that her father was diagnosed with “acute renal cancer which has metastasis and has spread to his other body parts, including his bones”.

The Kashmiri journalist had appealed to the Indian authorities to allow her family to visit Altaf and grant him bail on health grounds.

However, this was not the first time that Ruwa had appealed to the Indian government for the release of her father.

As per Indian Express, the journalist has been appealing for the last six months.

The publication reported that initially, the Indian authorities had moved Altaf to Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital. However, it had no oncology department.

It was only earlier this month that the Kashmiri leader was shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in the Indian capital on the orders of the Delhi High Court.

Custodial killings norm in Modi’s India: PM Shehbaz

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, while condoling with Altaf’s family, said that “custodial killings are a norm in Modi’s India”.

“Deeply grieved at the passing of prominent Kashmiri leader Altaf Shah, son-in-law of Syed Ali Geelani, while in Indian captivity. Modi regime denied him treatment despite knowing he was cancer patient,” tweeted PM Shehbaz.

Who was Altaf Shah?

A resident of Srinagar’s Soura in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Altaf was the son-in-law of late Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani and was one of his close associates. He was also associated with the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, founded by Geelani in 2004.

Altaf is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters.

As per the Indian Express, Shah’s son Anees ul Islam lost his government job in October 2021 under section 311 (2) (C) for being a “threat to the security of the state”.

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