Will not spare his killers, vows army

The army on Wednesday vowed to punish the killers of young Kashmiri Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz while defence minister Arun Jaitley called it a dastardly act of cowardice by the militants.

“I assure the family that the perpetrators of this heinous crime and dastardly act will not be spared,” Lt Gen Abhay Krishna, General Officer Commanding-in Chief of South Western Command and Colonel of Rajputana Riffles, said.

Fayaz, hailing from Kulgam in South Kashmir, was with Rajputana Rifles and had taken leave to attend the wedding of a relative. He was commissioned into the army on December 10 last year and according to his colleagues, he was popular for his simplicity and honesty.

Expressing anguish over the killing of the young officer, Jaitley said Fayaz’s sacrifice reiterates the nation’s commitment to eliminate terrorism from the Valley and that he would continue to inspire youth from Kashmir.

Lt Gen Krishna said people of Kashmir will have to rise collectively and hit back at the “cowards and perpetrators” of the heinous crime, adding they can no longer tolerate such tragic losses of their “beloved sons”. “This marks a watershed moment in Kashmir Valley and people of Kashmir will decisively turn the tide against terrorism,” he said, conveying to family of Fayaz that the

It was for the first time that he had taken leave after joining the armed forces, a senior army official said. Fayaz was scheduled to return to his unit in the Akhnoor area of Jammu on May 25.

His killing caused anger among locals residents who demanded that the men responsible for the crime be identified and punished.

Army officers posted with Rajputana Riffles said Fayaz was loved by his colleagues and he was known for immaculately performing alloted tasks.