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This is an archive article published on December 5, 2009

27 yrs on,ex-Health chief alleges foul play in Sheikh’s death

Kashmir's former Director Health Services Dr Ali Baksh on Friday claimed the death of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah,grandfather of J-K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah,on September 8,1982 after a brief illness was the result of foul play....

Kashmir’s former Director Health Services Dr Ali Baksh on Friday claimed the death of Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah,grandfather of J-K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah,on September 8,1982 after a brief illness was the result of foul play.

Talking to mediapersons here,Dr Ali Baksh,who was DHS when Sheikh Abdullah died,claimed foreign agencies had a hand in the death of the leader. He claimed the then Medical Superintendent of Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Services (SKIMS) Hospital,Srinagar,Dr V P Gupta had replaced the x-rays of the leader with that of another resulting in his death. “Physician Dr Ali Jan,who was treating the Sheikh,was misled by the changed x-ray,” he alleged,adding that some ‘agency’ wanted to hasten the demise of the leader to destabilise the state.

He also made several other allegations against Dr Gupta,who retired five years ago,and claimed all inquiry reports against him were finally dumped without any action. Dr Baksh,who had been facing a corruption case against him for the last 15 years,claimed he has been finally cleared of the charges on December 2.

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However,Dr Gupta denied the allegations blaming it on personal rivalry. “I would not have enjoyed prime postings during Farooq Abdullah’s tenure if I had been anyway involved in the replacement of the Sheikh’s x-rays.” He said the two inquiries into the death of the Sheikh had never indicted him as he was a Medical Superintendent and not a physician.

“Moreover,Sheikh Abdullah was never treated at the SKIMS,which was commissioned only on December 5,1982,three months after his death. The mysterious x-ray was also taken sometime in July 1982,” explained Dr Gupta.

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