The killing of a BJP leader Sheikh Wasim Bari and two of his close relatives on Wednesday coincided with the fourth death anniversary of Hizbul Mujahideen’s poster boy Burhan Wani, raised serious questions about the role of the police, and stoked fears of return of the militancy in the valley.
After the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir last year on August 5, it is one of the major incident of targeted killing of a political leader.
Earlier on June 8, a Kashmiri pandit sarpanch from Anantnag was killed by the terrorist. The J&K Police have launched a manhunt to nab the killers though 10 of their own cops have been arrested for negligence. These cops were assigned to protect Bari, but at the time of attack no one was present with him.
According to the preliminary investigation reports a local Lashkar-e- Tayyeba (LeT) terrorist along with a foreign terrorist from Pakistan, came on foot and targeted the BJP leader and two others late Wednesday night from a very close range and shot them in their heads. Bari along with his father and brother was sitting inside their shop-cum-office, located steps away from the Bandipora police station.
Meanwhile, J&K police have also initiated a high-level inquiry into the incident after suspending all 10 personal security officers (PSO’s) deployed on security duty at the residence of former district president, Bandipora.
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar Thursday said, “all the security personnel will be dismissed from their services for this security lapse”.
He said 10 PSO’s were deployed on security duty (eight from district police and two from security wing) which is more than enough. “Even if two of his PSO’s had remained with him they would have killed the terrorists. All the PSO’s were suspended yesterday and arrested. They will be dismissed from their services for this security lapse,” he said.
Vijay Kumar also visited the location in BandIpora along with senior army and CRPF officers to scan the CCTV footage of the incident recorded in the cameras fitted outside the police station building.
The IG told reporters that the JP leader stepped out of his house around 7.45 p.m and returned after visiting his in-laws house. On returning home, he first went inside the home and then visited the shop where his father and brother were already present. The personal security officers (PSOs) of the three men then went upstairs. One terrorist walked into the shop and shot the three men from close range. All three were shot in their heads, the IG said.
IG Kumar said, “we have scanned the complete CCTV footage. One thing is clear, the BJP leader was being stalked . When he left his house early in the evening for his in-laws house, a person could be seen in the CCTV footage and when he returned, the same person was there. It was a planned attack. We have identified the terrorists and they will be neutralized very soon.’’
The BJP leader was actively involved in party activities in the Kashmir valley and was very popular among the local residents in the area. He was working hard to build the party network and often labeled as ‘ BJP’s Tiger in Kashmir’ valley.
BJP state president, Ravinder Raina and general secretary Ashok Koul along with other party leaders and local workers visited the house of Sheikh Wasim Bari and consoled the family members of the BJP leader.
The trio were laid to rest close to their house in the afternoon amid tight security in the area.