Mirwaiz’s killers

THE long arm of the law has finally caught up with the remaining two of the five Hizbul terrorists accused of assassinating Mirwaiz Moulvi Muhammad Farooq at his house in Srinagar on May 21, 1990. It shows the probe agencies in a poor light that the two absconding ultras — Javaid Ahmad Bhat and Zahoor Ahmad Bhat — had been living in Srinagar itself for the past few years after hiding in Nepal and Pakistan for some time. Their arrest by the Special Investigation Agency of the J&K police brings closure for the Mirwaiz’s family. Two other accused — Abdullah Bangroo and Rehman Shigan — were killed in encounters in the 1990s; their accomplice, Ayub Dar, is serving a life sentence after his conviction by a TADA court.

Mirwaiz Moulvi Farooq, the head of the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, wielded enormous influence. His killing had caused an upheaval. Dozens of civilians were killed in firing by security forces during his funeral procession, leading to the removal of then J&K Governor Jagmohan. Umar Farooq, only 17 years old at that time, succeeded his father as the Mirwaiz; he was also made the head of his father’s socio-political organisation, Awami Action Committee. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq calls for a hartal every year on his father’s death anniversary and receives a good response from the locals. Significantly, during a rally held on May 21, 2002, Hurriyat Conference leader Abdul Gani Lone was killed by assailants.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a moderate separatist leader, is in favour of talks to end the Kashmir imbroglio. Hopefully, the closure of his father’s case would spur him to become an effective peacenik.