A KASHMIRI dry fruit seller has died after setting himself on fire, his family claims, due to the stress and humiliation of his and his son's detention during the sweeping security crackdown following this month's deadly explosion in New Delhi.
AP reported on Wednesday that Bilal Ahmed Wani, 55, died a day after his self-immolation, having been treated at three hospitals.
His death occurred shortly after his release from custody, although his eldest son, Jasir Bilal Wani, a student, remains detained in connection with the November 10 blast near the capital's historic Red Fort, which killed at least 10 people and wounded 32.
Wani's relatives, who spoke on condition of anonymity citing fear of official reprisals for speaking to the media, said the detentions drove him to despair.
Police have stated only that Wani died due to "self-inflicted burn injuries."
The New Delhi explosion led Indian investigators to quickly focus on Indian-controlled Kashmir, launching widespread raids, detaining suspects, and questioning thousands for links to what authorities termed a "heinous terror incident." Hundreds remain in custody.
The explosion in the capital occurred hours after police in Kashmir stated they had dismantled a suspected militant cell operating from the region to the outskirts of New Delhi, initially arresting at least seven people and seizing bomb-making material.
On November 14, some of these explosives, transported to a police station in Srinagar, detonated, killing at least nine people. T
he region's top police officer, Nalin Prabhat, ruled out sabotage, suggesting the explosion was caused by the mishandling of explosive material.
The crackdown led to the detention of Wani's son on November 14. The following day, authorities also held Wani, his younger son, and his brother, a physics lecturer.
Wani and his younger son were released that evening, while his brother was freed after Wani's death.
The relatives insisted the men were innocent, accusing authorities of making them scapegoats. They described Wani as distraught and broken upon his return home, walking outside the next morning to douse himself in gasoline and set himself ablaze.
The current security sweep is described by many as notably severe, topped only by the restrictions imposed in 2019 when India revoked the special status of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
The National Investigation Agency has identified the suspected suicide bomber as Umar Un Nabi, a doctor, and alleged that Wani's son "worked closely with the terrorist Umar Un Nabi to plan the terror carnage," claiming he provided technical support by modifying drones and attempting to make rockets.
Government forces have since demolished the doctor's family home in Kashmir's southern Pulwama district.
Authorities have also intensified a crackdown on what police term a "white-collar terror ecosystem of radicalized professionals and students," increasing scrutiny of several Kashmiri doctors.
Police claim such individuals have maintained contact with "foreign handlers based in Pakistan and other countries."
Several doctors, speaking anonymously due to fear of reprisal, described the scrutiny as unprecedented and intrusive.
Avinash Mohananey, a former Indian intelligence officer who served in Kashmir and Pakistan, suggested that the module, regardless of the official terminology, involved educated people and "reflects deep anger that has been building beneath the surface for a long time."
Mohananey stated that Kashmiris feel a deep, underlying anger because their political aspirations remain unmet and that the region’s people "feel disempowered and humiliated."
Praveen Donthi, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group, argued that the political disenfranchisement following India’s 2019 decision "is fueling a groundswell of quiet anger and a resurgence of militancy."
He added that the crackdown following the New Delhi blast "is adding to the existing sense of pervasive insecurity and vulnerability, which is unlikely to help address the alienation and anger, but rather to fan them further."
Donthi concluded: "A moderate approach by New Delhi to the region would be far more effective in preventing any further cycle of violence." - November 26, 2025
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