Jammu Kashmir Police Chief Friday revealed that two persons have been arrested in connection with the lynching incident at historical Jamia Masjid here in old Srinagar city on the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.Pertinently, group of people lynched a police officer to death after he allegedly was taking photographs of people outside the grand mosque. Police had earlier denied that victim was associated with JKP department. However, after investigation the deceased police officer was identified as Ayub Pandit, a Deputy Superintendent of police rank officer.Shortly after the culmination of wreath laying ceremony here in Police Control Srinagar, Jammu Kashmir Police Chief Dr SP Vaid said that two persons have been arrested while third one has been identified.The lynching incident occurred on the night of Shab-e-Qadar (the night of power) when people were busy in offering prayers in the grand mosque."Invetsigation is going on but initial reports suggest that some miscreants who were shouting slogans caught hold of DySP Ayoub Pandit while he was coming out of the mosque after inspecting access control. They started beating and lynched him," said Vaid.When asked about the firearm injuries to three civilians, Vaid said that the officer had a pistol on him. "He had the right to self-defence," said Vaid.Vaid while terming the incident unfortunate and sad said that the official was killed by the mob while he was performing his duties. It's a very sad and unfortunate incident," the DGP said.
If sources are to be believed the deceased police officer was clicking photographs of people coming out of the mosque. Before his lynching, the police officer in plain clothes fired from his pistol wounding three persons. The incident created panic in the area while protesting youth damaging abandoned security pickets. Police had to resort to aerial firing to evacuate the dead body of the police officer that was lying on the road.The lynching incident has come to a shock for many in Kashmir Valley. Besides mainstream politicians, some of the separatist leaders including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Aga Hasan Almosvi Alsafvi termed the incident unfortunate.Meanwhile Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday denounced the lynching of a senior police officer here and said the crime was a "murder of trust".Paying tributes to Deputy Superintendent Mohammad Ayub Pandit, lynched outside Jamia Masjid on Thursday night, she said: "The murder is actually a murder of trust. The officer had allowed his guards to go home.Jammu and Kashmir has one of the finest police forces in the country who exercise maximum restraint while dealing with law and order situation, but for how long," she asked."I fear the return of old days when people used to run away after spotting a police vehicle if they (policemen) run out of patience,” she said. (CNS)