Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, May 10: An Army officer Lieutenant Umar Fayaz, 22, was abducted from his relative’s house and shot dead by militants in Shopian district of South Kashmir last night.
A senior police officer said that the officer had gone to attend a marriage ceremony of his cousin at Batapora in Shopian last evening. He was abducted by at least 5-6 militants at around 10 p.m from the marriage party.
The officer said that locals and relatives didn’t inform the police about the abduction of the Army officer. He said that he was killed by militants but they are investigating the other angles as well. He said that the officer had stayed at his home for 5 days but no one harmed him there. He said that someone tipped off the militants that led to his abduction and killed. Two bullet marks were found on his body.
The officer said that the body of the Army officer riddled with bullets was spotted by a local at Harmain in Shopian and he subsequently informed the police.
A police party rushed to the spot and recovered the body. After conducting legal formalities, police handed over the body to family of the killed officer at Kulgam.
A local at Sadsuna village said that they heard three gun shots at around 11:30 p.m. He said that in the morning they found the body of the Army officer in the village road. He was tortured before being shot dead.
Lt Umar was posted with a RAJRIF in Akhnoor area of Jammu. The officer was just commissioned in December 2016.
Srinagar-based Defence spokesperson, Col Rajesh Kalia, said here that in dastardly act, some unidentified militants yesterday abducted and then killed a young Army officer, Lt Umar Fayaz, who had come on leave to his native place in Kulgam district of South Kashmir to attend a marriage in his family. The Army spokesperson said that the officer was unarmed.
Col Rajesh Kalia said: “The young officer was presently serving in Akhnoor, Jammu. The Army salutes the braveheart and stands by the bereaved family in this hour of tragedy and commits to bring the perpetrators of this heinous act of terror to justice.”
The Army officer was given a guard of honour and drapped in tricolor at his ancestral village of Kulgam district. Several hundred people including his relatives and neighbours attended his funeral that passed off peacefully.
Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has condemned the killing of Army officer.
She said what was more painful to note is that the young officer had come home on vacation where he was attending the marriage of his cousin. She conveyed her heartfelt sympathies with the bereaved family and prayed for his eternal solace.
In the meantime, Army foiled a major infiltration attempt by militants in Rampur sector of Uriin North Kashmir today.
Sources said that Army troops deployed along the LoC at Torna in Rampur sector noticed movement of four militants and a guide during the night trying to infiltrate. They said that Army ambushed them leading to a fierce gun battle but they managed to flee back leaving behind 3 rucksacks containing clothes, one AK rifle magazine, Night Vision Device and two radio sets.
The Army has launched massive search operation in the area so as to ensure that no militant managed to infiltrate.
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