MISSING JAWAN’S BODY FOUND IN SHOPIAN, RIDDLED WITH BULLETS
SRINAGAR: A 23-year-old Kashmiri man, who was part of the Territorial Army, was found dead on Saturday, with his body riddled with bullets. Irfan Ahmad Dar was visiting his home in South Kashmir’s Shopian district and was last seen by family members on Friday evening. Officials said he may have been killed by militants. According to police, the body was discovered by locals in Wothmula Nad area of Keegam. His car was also found near the spot, a few kilometres from his home. Condemning the incident, CM Mehbooba Mufti tweeted condolences. “I strongly condemn the brutal killing of Irfan Ahmad, a brave Territorial Army soldier at Shopian. Such heinous acts will not weaken our resolve to establish peace and normalcy in the Valley,” Mufti wrote on Twitter.
SRINAGAR: A 23-year-old Kashmiri man, who was part of the Territorial Army, was found dead on Saturday, with his body riddled with bullets.
Irfan Ahmad Dar was visiting his home in South Kashmir’s Shopian district and was last seen by family members on Friday evening. Officials said he may have been killed by militants.
“He has a bullet wound on his body and his family said he hadn’t come home since yesterday (Friday). We are investigating the matter,’’ said director general of police SP Vaid. Dar was posted at an army unit in Bandipora, north Kashmir, and was visiting home on leave for 10 days. According to police, the body was discovered by locals in Wothmula Nad area of Keegam. His car was also found near the spot, a few kilometres from his home.
“Sepoy Irfan Ahmad Dar, son of Ghulam Mohammad Dar, was a serving soldier. The individual was posted in a Territorial Army unit in Bandipora district,’’ an army spokesman confirmed.
“He was on leave till November 26, 2017. While on leave, he was possibly abducted and killed by terrorists. The matter is being investigated by the police,’’ the spokesperson added.
Condemning the incident, CM Mehbooba Mufti tweeted condolences. “I strongly condemn the brutal killing of Irfan Ahmad, a brave Territorial Army soldier at Shopian. Such heinous acts will not weaken our resolve to establish peace and normalcy in the Valley,” Mufti wrote on Twitter. This is the second such incident in November. On November 1, police found the body of a ruling Bharatiya Janata Party worker with throat slit in Shopian. The victim was identified as Gowhar Ahmad Bhat, the district president of BJP’s youth wing in Shopian. According to locals, the body had torture marks. Dar is also the third soldier suspected to be killed by militants while on leave this year.
In September this year, a BSF jawan on leave was killed outside his residents by militants. Ramzan Parray was gunned down at point-blank range in his home in north Kashmir’s Bandipore area.
Another army officer from Kashmir was also abducted and shot dead by militants in the state’s Shopian district in May this year, where he had gone to attend a relative’s wedding.