Eid festivities in militancy-hit Kashmir were marred with violent incidents in which terrorists shot dead three policemen on Wednesday, 22 August, in two of the worst militancy-hit districts of the state – Pulwama and Kulgam.
The first incident took place when Fayaz Ahmad Shah, an under-training police constable, was shot when he was returning home after offering Eid prayers in Kulgam.
Shah, 34, was working with the Jammu and Kashmir Police as a special police officer and had been given an out-of-turn promotion and selected as a constable, reported PTI.
He was undergoing training at Talwara in Jammu region and had come home.
Terrorists pumped bullets at Shah from a close range near his house. He died on the spot. The police has registered a case in this regard and investigation is underway.
A pall of gloom descended on the policeman's native Zazripora village when the news of his death broke out.
The Eid festivities turned into mourning at Shah’s residence with his two minor daughters, aged five and two, unable to understand the sudden rush of people to their residence and the frequent breakdown of their mother and aged grandmother.
The family was inconsolable when his body, wrapped in the tricolour, was brought to their residence, reported PTI.
A wreath-laying ceremony was held at district police lines, Kulgam, where officers led by senior superintendent of police Harmeet Singh paid floral tributes to the police official.
Director general of police SP Vaid termed the incident a "dastardly act".
It only shows the frustration of terrorists who are resorting to such a cowardly act of attacking an unarmed policeman.Director general of police SP Vaid, as quoted by PTI
The second special police officer, identified as Mohammad Yaqoob Shah, was shot at in Pulwama district. He was declared brought dead at the hospital.
Inspector General of police (Kashmir range) Swayam Prakash Pani led the police team to pay tributes to Yaqoob Shah at district police lines in Pulwama.
In a third incident, terrorists shot dead inspector Mohd Ashraf Dar at his residence in Pulwama, reported ANI.
Moreover, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activist was also killed by militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. Incidents of stone-pelting were reported from various other parts of Kashmir, including Srinagar, on the day of Eid.
Omar Abdullah Condemns the Killings
Former J&K chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah took to Twitter to condemn the killings.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
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