Mysterious killings continued to haunt Kashmir Valley as unknown gunmen shot dead a former militant along with his three-year-old son and an active member of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) outfit in separate attacks in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district. The spree of mysterious killings started in July when unknown militants began targeting civilians associated with mobile telephony. Earlier this week, bodies of three youngsters, two of them HM cadre, were found dead in Pattan area of North Kashmir triggering widespread protests.
The separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference’s Syed Ali Geelani-led faction has called for a shutdown against the latest killings. On Thursday, Kashmir witnessed a near-total shutdown against the killing of three youngsters.
Three-year-old Burhan Bashir received bullet wounds on Friday evening when unknown motorcycle-borne militants opened fire on his father Bashir Ahmad Bhat, a former Jamiatul Mujahideen (JeM) militant at his residence in Sopore pocket of North Kashmir.
The father-son duo was immediately shifted to hospital where Bhat succumbed to his injuries. He had recieved bullets in his head and abdomen. The infant was referred to Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences where he succumbed on Saturday morning.
Bhat was reportedly playing with his son when assailants fired upon them indiscriminately. The killings triggered spontaneous protests in the area.
In another incident, police recovered bullet-riddled body of a person in Kunzar pocket of Baramulla district on Saturday morning. The body seemed to be that of one Army personnel as it was donning full Army fatigue including bullet-proof headgear. However, the locals identified the body as that of Fayaz Ahmad Bhat, an active member of banned HM in the area. Bhat, a resident of Wayil village in Pattan area was a commander of the outfit in the area.
Police sources claimed that Fayaz Bhat’s mysterious killing seems to be the result of inter group rivalry between Hizb and its breakaway group lashkar-e-Islam led by militant Qayoom Najar, a battle-hardened militants who carries an award of Rs 10 lakh on his head. Najar was expelled by Hizb in August following reports that he has founded his own outfit lashkar-e-Islam (leI) that was involved in several target killings.
Hizb said that leI was working at the behest of Indian agencies though off late the outfit (Hizb) claimed that there was no group existing as leI.
The three bodies of youngsters including two Hizb cadres were recovered on September 13 (Monday) from Pattan area. They bore visible torture marks and bullet wounds. The trio was owned by Hizbul Mujahideen and its Salahuddin alleged that they have been done to death by counter-insurgency police. The police claim that they must have been victims of inter-group rivalry between Hizb and leI of three men was observed.
Geelani has called for a shutdown against the latest killings including that of Burhan. Earlier on September 16, Kashmir-wide strike against the mysterious killing of three militants was observed on the call of both factions of Hurriyat Conference, JKlF and other separatists groups. Separatists and mainstream opposition and ruling PDP demanded impartial probe into the killings.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Pattan and Kunzar areas after the deaths occurred. In Kunzar police and paramilitaries had tough time to deal with the protesters. Police resorted to tear smoke shelling to disperse the tempestuous crowd carrying the body. The body was retrieved from the protesters with difficulty before sending it for autopsy.
Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed deeply mourned the killing of Burhan Bashir and described it a condemnable and dastardly act. Sayeed said his heart goes out to the unfortunate mother of the young child, for whom the passing away of his son in such inhuman circumstances will be an earth-shattering experience. An official spokesman said the Chief Minister conveyed his sympathies to the bereaved family and prayed for a place in jannah (paradise) for the young boy. However, Mufti did not mention the killing of Burhan’s father, who was a former militant.