J-K DSP Ayub Pandith lynching: 20 arrests made, police hunt for more suspects

J and K Inspector General of Police Muneer Khan on Monday divulged details about the horrific lynching of Deputy Superintendent of Police Ayub Pandith, which took place on June 22.
For representational purpose. | File Photo
For representational purpose. | File Photo

SRINAGAR: Police in Kashmir has arrested 20 people for their alleged involvement in lynching of a police officer outside Valley’s grand mosque in downtown Srinagar last month.

“20 people have been arrested in connection with lynching of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Mohammad Ayoub Pandith on June 22 night outside Jamia Masjid in downtown Srinagar,” Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Muneer Ahmad Khan told reporters, here.

He said unlike other cases, this particular case evoked widespread condemnation from cross section of society.

The lynching of police officer had evoked strong condemnation and even separatist leaders condemned the incident.

“During investigation, people voluntarily came forward and deposed before police. It led to us to right conclusion and right line of investigation,” the IGP said adding, “It was due to cooperation of general public that we were able to investigate the case expeditiously and effectively.”

Asked how they cracked the case, Khan said, “After getting initial clues, we arrested three main accused persons, who were involved in this lynching.”

He said the trio had received fire arm injuries after the DySP had fired in self defence while being heckled and lynched by the miscreants.

“The trio was arrested because they were the persons who initially started heckling the DySP and during questioning, they led to other accused involved and led us to recovery of the pieces of evidence. We recovered iron rod used to hit DySP on his head and his pistol in damaged condition. We also recovered I-card and cell phone of DySP, taken away by miscreants after the lynching incident,” the IGP said.

He said the investigation into the case is going on expeditiously and in right manner.

“Some more arrests are expected in coming days. Some more evidence is to be collected, which would be collected in due course of time and we are hopeful to complete the investigation within the stipulated period,” he said.

The IGP said one of accused involved in lynching of police officer, Sajad Gilkar of downtown Nowhatta was killed in an encounter with security forces in central Kashmir’s Budgam on July 12.

“He (Sajad) was involved in 14 cases since 2008 and also detained under PSA three times. He was not only involved in stone in pelting but was also involved in stabbing cases,” he said.

According to Khan, after lynching incident, Sajad went underground.

“On June 29, he skipped his hearing of stabbing case in a court and joined HM. He was physically at the encounter site and fired on the security forces and in retaliation was killed alongwith his two associated,” he said.

The family members of Sajad have denied his involvement in police officer’s lynching said he was let off by police after questioning after the incident took place on June 22.

Asked whether police would question moderate separatist leader and cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who gave the sermon in the mosque after the incident took place, IGP said, “Whoever we find need to be questioned, we will question him. The investigation is going on.”

CRPF commander thrashed by subordinates

SRINAGAR: A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) company commander was allegedly thrashed by his subordinates following the death of their colleague due to illness in Anantnag district of Kashmir, a police official said on Monday.  Khupmani Misall of 28 Battalion CRPF, posted at Qaimoh, was taken ill on Saturday night, the official said.  He said Misall was taken to the CRPF Unit hospital at Anantnag, where he died. The death of the jawan angered his colleagues who allegedly thrashed their company commander for not allowing Misall to be taken to the nearest health facility, which caused delay in timely medical attention to him, the official said.

LeT men who aided Amarnath attack identified

SRINAGAR: The Lashkar-e-Taiba’s “over ground workers” who provided logistical help to militants before the attack on Amarnath pilgrims have been identified, police said on Monday.     Considerable progress has been made in the probe into the July 10 terror attack that left eight pilgrims dead in Anantnag of south Kashmir, a senior police official said. Giving additional details of the investigation, inspector general of police in Kashmir, Munir Khan said, “Two LeT Pakistani militants, including Abu Ismail, supported by two local LeT militants, were involved in the case.”

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