Police on Monday said that twenty accused have been arrested over the lynching of DySP Ayub Pandith in Nowhatta area of Downtown Srinagar.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Muneer Khan told reporters during a press conference in Srinagar that the investigation is going on in the case.“Twenty accused have been arrested,” he said, adding: “one of the accused Sajad Ahmad Gilkar was killed in an encounter on July 12 in Radbugh village of Budgam” Khan said that a group of youth raising pro-Zakir Musa slogans outside the Jamia Masjid on Shab-e-Qadr night who were there to welcome Mirwaiz Umar Farooq started beating Pandith after he refused to reveal his identity.“On the basis of disclosures made by the accused, the important pieces of evidence including the weapon of offence (Iron rod), identity card, service pistol (in a damaged condition) and the cell-phone of the deceased officer have been recovered,” said the IGP.He said it was encouraging to see a “very good response” from the general public and the eyewitnesses who voluntarily came forward to render assistance in the investigation and provided valuable information regarding the incident. Statements of eyewitnesses and all concerned were recorded under relevant provisions of law, which has led to a substantial headway in the investigations.
The main culprits involved in the commission of the heinous crime were identified and subsequently arrested.”He according to CNS said on the basis of disclosures made by the accused, the important pieces of evidence including the weapon of offence (iron rod), Identity Card, Service Pistol in damaged condition and the Cell Phone of the deceased officer have been recovered.IGP Munir Khan said that in the initial phase, four of the main accused were identified and arrested, which led to the subsequent arrests. “It has surfaced that a group of assailants saw the officer checking the security personnel deployed for access control duties of the Jamia Masjid and as soon as the officer came out of the premises of the Masjid, the assailants heckled him.” He said it was during the course of this time, a number of miscreants assembled there joined these assailants and started beating the officer leading to his lynching. The officer in self-defense fired some shots from his Service Pistol below the waistline causing injury to 3 assailants who were in his immediate proximity and were heckling him. However, the mob continued to beat him, which ended in his lynching.During investigations, statements of a number of eyewitnesses have been recorded before the Hon’ble Court of CJM under section 164-A CrPc.He said that post mortem report has been received which reveals, “fatal head and face injuries resulting in vital organ damage and his spontaneous death.Inspector General of Police said that so far twenty accused involved in the incident have been arrested in the case and one of the accused namely Sajad Ahmed Gilkar alias Saja Bilu son of Nazir Ahmed Gilkar of Pandan Nowhatta has been killed in an encounter on July 12 this month Redbugh, Budgam. He said vigorous efforts are being made for identification and arrest of the remaining assailants involved in the commission of crime, besides recovery of other evidences related to the commission of the crime is underway.Khan said that the investigation of the case is going on at a fast pace and some more arrests are expected which will lead to the completion of the investigation and the case will be submitted for judicial determination with the stipulated time frame.
Referring to Ganderbal incident, where Army ransacked Police Station Gund and thrashed 8 policemen including two officers, Inspector General of Police for Kashmir Zone, Munir Ahmed Khan said that they immediately took cognizance of the incident while Director General of Police registered a strong protest before General Commanding Officer of the Army. When a local journalist asked him why they were quick to take note of lynching incident and showed ‘laxity’ when Army thrashed cops inside police station, IGP in a lighter vein said that they don’t get provoked and added that they have already taken the cognizance of the matter.“Our DGP lodged strong protest as a result Core Commander of the Army ordered inquiry. The commander of 3 Sector visited police station. Army has assured action against guilty,” he said. IGP Munir Khan also said that they have made a considerable progress in the investigation pertaining to the attack on Amarnath pilgrims in South Kashmir. Responding to a question, Khan said that prima facie it appears that two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants with the help of two Over Ground Workers carried the attack on the vehicle, leaving 8 pilgrims dead.“We have identified the two Over Ground Workers who provided logistic support to the Lashkar-e-Toiba militants. Efforts are on to nab them,” Khan said.He added that police has been investigating also to ascertain whether the militants killed in Barakpora Anantnag recently were a part of that attack or not. “Investigation has been going on in the right direction and we have made a considerable progress in this regard,” he said. (CNS)