SRINAGAR: A deputy superintendent of police was beaten to death by a mob after he allegedly opened fire at a group of people, who caught him clicking pictures near a mosque in downtown area of Srinagar in the early hours today. The police officer identified as Mohammed Ayoub Pandit was on duty when the mob attacked him, police said.
Pandit was seen moving around by people near Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area when Shab-e-Qadr prayers were under way. He was allegedly clicking pictures of people while they were coming out of the mosque. Reports said that people tried to catch Pandit who allegedly fired several shots from his pistol, injuring three persons. The irate mob then caught hold of him and stoned him to death, reports said.
His body was taken to police control room for identification and other legal procedures, they said adding the situation in old city has turned tense following the incident. Police reinforcement were rushed in to restore normalcy in the area.
Muslims across Kashmir were observing Shab-e-Qadr (the night of power) with night-long prayers and supplications being made inside the mosques and shrines of the valley at the time of the incident.
Authorities have already announced restrictions on movement of people in areas falling under the jurisdiction of seven police stations of the city as a precautionary measure. The restrictions were announced to maintain law and order as separatists had called for protests after Friday prayers against killing of a civilian in forces’ action on protesters in Kakapora area of Pulwama district yesterday.
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