Separatist abducted, shot dead in Shopian

Suhail A Shah

Anantnag, October 11

An activist of the separatist group Muslim League of the Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Shah Geelaniwas on Thursday abducted and shot dead in broad daylight in Shopian district of south Kashmir.

The slain has been identified as 48-year-old Tariq Ahmad Ganaie, a resident of Meemandar village in Shopian district. The incident, local sources said, took place about 1 pm. “Some gunmen barged into his house and abducted him. They shot him dead just 200 metres from his home,” a local source said.

A senior police officer confirmed the killing and said an investigation had been initiated into the killing. “We have learnt that some terrorists abducted and killed a civilian in the Meemandar area. The case is being investigated,” the police officer said.

Ganaie, said sources, was a former militant and had served a long jail term before venturing into separatist politics. He was a member of the incarcerated separatist leader Masarat Alam-led Muslim League. Ganaie was also arrested during the unrest of 2016 and was released earlier this year.

Meanwhile, thousands of people attended his funeral later in the day. Militants, seven in number, appeared at the funeral and offered a gun salute to the slain.

SPO shot at in Pulwama 

A special police officer (SPO) was shot at and injured late Wednesday night in Karimabad village of Pulwama district. The SPO has been identified as Bilal Ahmad, a resident of the Karimabad village. A senior police officer confirmed that Ahmad was shot at in his legs. “He was shifted to a Srinagar hospital in a stable condition,” the officer said, adding that a case has been registered and investigation taken up.