Police announce bounty for 3 ultras

SRINAGAR: Even as the Army has asked its personnel hailing from Kashmir to strictly follow the laid down guidelines during vacation, the J&K Police have gone into an overdrive and announced a bounty on the heads of three militants who they say are behind the killing of 23-year-old Lt Ummer Fayaz.

Lt Umar Fayaz. A file photo

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, May 12

Even as the Army has asked its personnel hailing from Kashmir to strictly follow the laid down guidelines during vacation, the J&K Police have gone into an overdrive and announced a bounty on the heads of three militants who they say are behind the killing of 23-year-old Lt Ummer Fayaz.

The police on Friday pasted posters in Shopian district of three Hizbul Mujahideen militants — Ishfaq Thokar, Gayas-ul Islam and Abbas Bhat, saying the trio was involved in the abduction and killing of Lieutenant Fayaz in Shopian where he had gone to attend a wedding function of a relative.

“Any person providing information regarding the criminals will be suitably rewarded and his identity will be kept secret,” the poster read.

Lieutenant Fayaz was abducted by two masked men from his uncle’s house in Shopian on May 9 evening during the wedding ceremony. His bullet-riddled body was found the next morning. Later, the police registered a case under Sections 302 (murder) and 364 (kidnapping or abducting in order to murder) of the RPC.

Superintendent of Police, Shopian, Ambarkar Shriram Dinkar said all efforts were on to track the militants involved in the killing.

“We have announced rewards for those who will lead to the arrest or killing of these terrorists. We are making all efforts to neutralise them,” Dinkar said.

Meanwhile, in the wake of killing of the young officer, the Army has asked its personnel and commissioned officers from Kashmir to strictly follow the laid down guidelines while on vacation.

“Every soldier prior to proceeding on leave is briefed about dos and don’ts. After the brutal murder of the young Kashmiri officer, the soldiers hailing from the Valley have been advised to follow the guidelines strictly,” a defence official said.

“As per the set guidelines, the soldiers have to inform nearby Company Operating Base (COB) of the Army and a police station while at home. They also have to share their phone number so that in case there is any trouble, the COB can respond quickly after receiving a phone call,” he added.

Over 12,000 Army personnel, including officers, come from Kashmir. A large number of Kashmiri soldiers also hail from four troubled districts of south Kashmir.

Last month, amid increasing incidents of militants’ harassing family members of police personnel, the J&K Police had asked its men, especially in south Kashmir, not to visit homes in the next few months.

Now, militants surface in Bandipora

Srinagar: In a disturbing trend, a group of suspected militants surfaced in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Friday. Their appearance came second time in the past one week.

Sources said two to four gunmen, most probably foreigners, appeared at the Banger Mohalla Hajin mosque in Hajin Bandipora and one among them addressed the locals for at least 20 minutes. The militant asked the people to stand united. He also warned people not to inform security forces about their presence.

“We are here to help,” the unknown gunman, according to the sources, said.

After the Friday prayers ended, the locals took out a march and the militants were a part of the rally.

Later, clashes erupted in the area between youths and security forces.

Two gunmen had also surfaced in the area last week during a protest march. There have been several instances this year where militants, mostly in south Kashmir, have been appearing at the funerals of slain ultras.

Not involved in Lieutenant’s murder: United Jihad Council

Srinagar: A day after the police said Hizbul Mujahideen militants were involved in the killing of an Army officer in Shopian, the conglomerate of militant outfits based in Muzaffarabad — United Jihad Council (UJC) — said on Friday that “its militants are not involved in the killing”. In an email to Srinagar-based news agency KNS, UJC spokesman Syed Sadaqat Hussain, quoted the outfit chief, Syed Salahuddin, as saying: “Our militants are not involved in the murder of Lt Ummer Fayaz. Such a killing is condemnable. An officer from a pro-freedom family was murdered by the Indian agencies and militants are being accused of it to shield the real face of the Indian agencies,” he said. — TNS