The last rites for Mohd Shafi, a former senior Jammu and Kashmir Police officer who was shot dead by terrorists on Sunday while praying at a mosque, were held in Baramulla. Safi’s family members and the villagers offered prayers as their final act of respect. Unidentified terrorists on Sunday opened fire on the former police officer as he was praying at a mosque in the Baramulla district of Gantmulla. This occurred amid the ongoing search for terrorists in the Rajouri forests following an ambush attack that resulted in the deaths of four soldiers.
Meanwhile, reacting to the incident, National Conference MP Farooq Abdullah said that terrorism will not end through the army or police.
“We were part of India, are part of India and will remain part of India. If we have to end terrorism, we’ve got to find ways through which it can be ended. The government should think that terrorism will not end through the army or police,” he said.
Earlier in the day, the family members of the deceased retired police officer mourned his loss.
Abdulkareem Mir, the younger brother of Shafi, said, “He was the senior superintendent of police (SSP) and retired from service in 2012. He was a regular at the mosque for ‘Aazan’. However, this morning, Shafi (the muezzin, who calls fellow Muslims to prayer) stopped suddenly in between his call for Aazan. At first, we thought that the microphone had stopped working. However, later, we learned to our absolute shock and dismay that he had been fatally shot.”
Meanwhile, the area was cordoned off in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
“#Terrorists fired upon Shri Mohd Shafi, a retired police officer at Gantmulla, Sheeri #Baramulla, while praying Azan in the mosque and succumbed to injuries. The area has been #cordoned off. Further details awaited,” the Kashmir Zone Police posted from their official X handle.