Martyred J-K Police officer's father overcomes grief to salute his son

 Srinagar, September 14

The courage, fortitude and composure of this brave police officer as he laid a wreath on the body of his martyred officer son, will be written with golden letters in the history of Indian police.

Fragile-bodied retired IGP Ghulam Hassan Bhat stood by the body of his son, DSP Humayun Bhat, in the district police lines in Srinagar without a tear in his eyes.

Ghulam Hassan Bhat escorted by Javaid Mujtaba Gilani, ADGP, laid a wreath at his martyred son’s coffin wrapped in the Tricolour.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Secretary Arun Mehta, DGP Dilbag Singh and all other senior officers of J&K Police stood solemnly behind the father waiting for their turn to pay last respects to the slain officer.

Humayun, a 2018 batch officer of the JKPS, was married last year. His wife gave birth to a baby just 26 days ago.

The tragedy could not have been greater for any family in any part of the country.

But, Ghulam Hassan Bhat hid grief and tears. He was grief-stricken but his spirit was high.

He lived up to what he swore in the oath he and his son took when baptised into the police service.

Humuyan was the sub-divisional police officer in Kokarnag area of Anantnag district.

He was part of the team of security officers who went to Gadole mountain area after receiving inputs about the presence of terrorists there.

In the initial contact with the terrorists, Colonel Manpreet Singh, CO of 19 Rashtriya Rifles; Major Aashish Dhonchak; and DSP Humayun Bhat came under heavy firing from the terrorists.

The three officers were leading the operation from the front. Rescue was immediately organised.

Unfortunately, the three officers had lost a lot of blood and could not be revived by the doctors.