SRINAGAR: Police on Thursday blamed militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba for killing 30-year-old BSF jawan and injuring four of his family members in an attack on his residence in Hajin area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir.
“At least four militants barged into the house of BSF jawan Mohammad Ramzan Parray at Parray Mohalla at Hajin in Bandipora district in North Kashmir at around 9.15 pm last evening. The militants attacked him with sharp-edged weapon and later fired from automatic weapon towards him and his family members,” DIG North Kashmir, Nitish Kumar said.
He said the BSF constable was killed and four of his family members including his father, two brothers and aunt injured in the militant attack.
The condition of his father, who is undergoing treatment in Srinagar hospital, is said to be critical.
Parray belonged to 73 bn BSF, which is deployed at Singhpora area in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
He was at his home as he availing a leave of 37 days from August 26.
Asked whether militants involved in the killing of BSF jawan have been identified, Kumar said, “As per our investigation and as per statement of family members of the slain jawan, Lashkar’s Mehmood Bhai and some other militants were involved in the killing.”
He said Mehmood Bhai’s group is active in the area from sometime.
Parray had joined BSF seven years back. He had joined the force on January 21, 2011.
A BSF spokesman said the militants after barging into his residence asked him to show the identity card.
“He, however, resisted and this led to a scuffle. He fought with them and his family members also joined. When militants could not overpower them, they attacked them with sharp-edged weapons. The BSF jawan snatched an assault rifle from one militant and overpowered him. However, other militants fired on him and his family members present there,” he said.
The spokesman said while escaping from the house, militants took away the mobile phone of the deceased and fired some more rounds to prevent family members of the BSF jawan from chasing them.
Parray had sustained bullet injuries in chest and head and died on spot and four of his injured family members -- father Gulam Ahmad Parray, brothers Javed Ahmad Parray and Tariq Ahmad Parray and aunt Habiba Begam -- were rushed to hospitals in Srinagar.
The doctors have termed condition of his father as critical.
Sources said militants may have targeted the BSF jawan because police and security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in the area a day before after receiving information about the presence of militants there.
The last rites of Parray were performed with full force honour and senior officers of security forces and civil administration were present, the BSF spokesman said.
Parry’s body was laid to rest at his ancestral graveyard in Hajin area of Bandipora. A large number of people attended his funeral prayers.
It is the second incident when militants have killed a security man, who had been on leave in the Valley.
Earlier, on May 9 this year, militants had killed a young army officer Lt. Ummer Fayaz in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
The officer was abducted by militants from the residence of his relative at Batpora Matribug in Shopian, where he had gone to attend a marriage function and his bullet-ridden body was recovered near a bus stand in the area next day.
His killing had evoked widespread condemnation in the Valley.
In June this year, a police officer Mohammad Ayoub Pandit was lynched by a mob outside historic Jamia Masjid, where people had gathered to hold nightlong prayers.
Meanwhile, J&K Chief Minister said strongly condemned BSF jawan’s killing.
“It is unfortunate that he was killed when he had come home to join his family in his off time. It is regrettable that the unending cycle of violence in the State is taking a heavy toll of our society, particularly the young,” she said and appealed all segments of society to join in putting an end to it.