Omar, Sajad , others condemn Babar Qadri’s killing
Precious Kashmir News
Srinagar, Sep 24: Prominent Srinagar lawyer, advocate Babar Qadri was shot dead by gunmen here, while a CRPF officer was killed in a militant attack in Budgam district and a militant was killed in a gunfight with the security forces in Pulwama district, officials and reports said on Thursday.
Quoting officials news agency KNO said that advocate Babar Qadri was fired upon by the unknown gunmen outside his residence in Hawal area.
The Advocate, who is survived by two minor daughters and his wife, was shifted to SKIMS where he was declared brought dead. The body was later handed over to the family for last rites.
Meanwhile, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Conference (NC) vice president, Omar Abdullah in a tweet condemned his killing and termed it as tragic. “The assassination of Babar Qadri this evening is tragic & I unequivocally condemn it. The sense of tragedy is all the more because he warned of the threat. Sadly his warning was his last tweet,” Omar tweeted.
Former minister and Peoples Conference (PC) president, Sajad Gani Lone in a tweet said that one more Kashmiri falls to bullets. “Sad news. Advocate Babar Qadri assassinated. One more Kashmiri falls to bullets. Yet another victim of conflict. My thoughts with the family,” Sajad Lone tweeted.
Apni Party vice president Ghulam Hassan Mir also condemned the killing . “The killing of a young and promising lawyer who represented members of the poorest, most marginalized parts of Kashmir at all the forums available to him, including many of the victims of conflict and their families, has a devastating impact on access to justice in Kashmir,” he said in a statement.
Mir observed that by silencing a lawyer, many victims of the conflict are also silenced. “We have been reiterating this fact that violence begets violence and use of guns will never achieve anything,” Apni Party senior vice president remarked.
Bharatiya Janata Party spokesman Altaf Thakur also condemned Advocate Babar’s killing.
Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) strongly condemned the killing of Qadri and urged the government to ascertain the identity of killers for exemplary punishment.
CRPF officer killed in militant attack
A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officer was killed on Thursday morning by militants in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
They said militants shot at and critically wounded a CRPF Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) at Wadipora Keisarmullah Chadoora in Badgam district this morning. Militants also snatched the weapon of the officer before escaping from the spot, they said.
Later injured was rushed to 92 Base hospital where the ASI, identified as Bodle, a resident of Nagpur succumbed, they said.
CRPF man killed in militant attack at Wadipora, Budgam, riffle snatched too
While talking to the reporters on the sidelines of the wreath laying ceremony of the killed CRPF officer, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said that attackers came on a motor bike. “They will soon be tracked down and punished accordingly,” he said.
Militant killed in Pulwama encounter
A militant was killed in an encounter with the security forces which ensued during a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Thursday, police and defence ministry spokespersons said this afternoon.
Police spokesperson said the operation concluded without any collateral damage.
He said on a tip off about the presence of militants, Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police, CRPF and Rashtriya Rifles (RR) launched a CASO at village Machhama , Tral, in Pulwama district this morning.
However, when the security forces were moving towards a particular area in the village, militants hiding there opened fire, he said adding the fire was retaliated ensuing in an encounter in which an unidentified militant was killed.
Police said slain militant was identified as Irfan Ahmad Dar belonging to Al-Badr.
Defence spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia said a joint operation was launched this morning based on the inputs by police at Machhama Awantipora in Pulwama.
Area was cordoned off and multiple announcements were through public address system to militants to surrender.
But, he said, militants lobbed grenades on Security forces in return fire was returned. A militant was killed, he said.
Colonel Kalia said one pistol one magazine and five rounds of ammunition were recovered from the slain militant who was earlier apprehended on August 4 by police for lobbing grenade at naka party at National Highway near Charsoo in April 2019. However , he was later released on April 20, 2020 and had gone missing on August 29 and joined militancy.
Gunfight rages in Sirhama
Meanwhile, another encounter broke out between militants and security forces at Sirhama area of Anantnag district. “Lights have been installed and cordoned layers tightened,” a police official told KNO.
