J&K Police officer lynched: Two arrested, CM Mufti pays tribute

The police officer was identified as Deputy Superintendent Mohammed Ayub Pandith. Three people were injured in the firing.

Srinagar, June 23: Jammu and Kashmir police have arrested two men in connection with lynching of Srinagar's Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mohammed Ayub Pandith.

Condemning the murder of a police officer in the state, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday denounced the lynching of a senior police officer here and said the crime was a "murder of trust". Paying tributes to Deputy Superintendent Mohammad Ayub Pandith, lynched outside a mosque, she said: "The murder is actually a murder of trust. The officer had allowed his guards to go home.

"Jammu and Kashmir has one of the finest police forces in the country who exercise maximum restraint while dealing with law and order situation," she added.

Earlier, Srinagar's Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mohammed Ayub Pandith was lynched by an irate mob after he allegedly opened fire at a group of people who caught him clicking pictures near a mosque in downtown area of Srinagar. Pandith was seen moving in suspicious circumstances by some people near Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area at 12.30 am, police sources said.

Former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in his tweet took strong objection against the mob who lynched the police officer.

Chief Minister Mehabooba Mufti laid wreath on the body of DySP Pandit on Friday morning. Mufti said the state police is showing maximum restraint as they are dealing with their own people. She hailed the J&K police as one of the best in the country.

DGP S P Vaid termed the killing as sad and unfortunate. "The official was killed by the mob while he was performing his duties. It's a very sad and unfortunate incident," the DGP said. People tried to catch Pandith who allegedly fired several shots from his pistol, injuring three persons.

The irate mob then caught hold of him and stripped him naked before stoning him to death, the sources said. Pandith's body was taken to police control room for identification and other legal procedures, they said adding the situation in old city has turned tense following the incident.

The mob went on a rampage targeting empty security pickets erected in the area. Police reinforcement were rushed in to restore normalcy in the area.

"The officer was on frisking duty at the Jamia Masjid. He was carrying out his duties as usual when the miscreants attacked him," informed sources said.

"He tried to free himself and even fired in self-defence, injuring three. But the mob managed to lynch him," the sources said. Reports said Pandith's security guards ran away after they found the mob too large to be handle.

Pandith belonged to Khanyar area which is adjacent to Nowhatta where he was killed.

Muslims across Kashmir are observing Shab-e-Qadr (the night of power) with night-long prayers and supplications being made inside the mosques and shrines of the valley. Authorities have already announced restrictions on movement of people in seven police station areas of the city as a precautionary measure. The restrictions were announced to maintain law and order as separatists had called for protests after Friday prayers against killing of a civilian during protests in Kakapora area of Pulwama District yesterday.

Oneindia News (with Agency inputs)