All 10 cops guarding Valley BJP leader held, face dismissal
Will avenge killings: Party’s J&K chief
SRINAGAR:The killing of Bandipore Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Waseem Bari and his father and brother was handiwork of two terrorists owing allegiance to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the police said on Thursday.
All 10 policemen guarding Bari, a 28-year-old former BJP district president, have been suspended on charges of dereliction of duty and arrested, said Kashmir inspector general of police Vijay Kumar.
The personal security officers (PSOs) of Bari were not with him when the attack took place barely 10 metres away from a police station around 9pm, and face dismissal from service over the lapse, he said.
Kumar also said the examination of footage from CCTV cameras in the police station confirmed that Bari was being followed. Both terrorists involved in the attack have been identified and they will be “neutralised soon”, he told reporters in Bandipore. On Wednesday evening, Bari came back from his in-laws’ house and went to his shop, where his father, Bashir Ahmad, and brother, Umar Bashir, were already present, according to Kumar. His PSOs went to their rooms, he said. “A militant came walking inside the shop and targeted the three from a close range,” Kumar said.
“Even if two of his [10] PSO’s remained with him, they would have killed the militant.,” he said. Kumar stressed that the police are committed to providing protection to everyone who was under threat.
› The BJP leader was killed by two terrorists owing allegiance to Lashkar-e-Taiba
VIJAY KUMAR, Kashmir IG
SRINAGAR/JAMMU: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sheikh Waseem Bari, who was shot dead along with his father and brother by Lashkar militants, was the face of the saffron party in Bandipore.
The state BJP unit described his killing as an “act of cowardice” and said his death would be avenged.
Bari’s father Sheikh Bashir Ahmad and brother Sheikh Umar were also office-bearers of the party. The attack happened right outside the Bandipore police station when the trio was at their shop.
Bari , 28, had forayed into politics in 2014 when he contested the assembly polls from Bandipore constituency. He lost the election but soon joined the BJP. A young and energetic leader, he was always seen at the forefront of political activities of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Kashmir valley. He is survived by his wife and two children.
“It was an act of sheer cowardice carried out of sheer frustration at the behest of Pakistan. Since the Army and security forces have eliminated a large number of terrorists in Kashmir, Pakistan is desperate and frustrated. Bari was a tiger. The wolves attacked him in the dead of night,” said J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina.
“The perpetrators will have to pay a heavy price. I have spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda. We will avenge their killings”.
J&K BJP spokesman Altaf Thakur said Bari was currently the state executive member of the party and head of the BJP’s training wing. “It is a big loss as he was young and had many plans for people in his area,” he added.
Former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta said, “The killings are very painful and heartwrenching for us. But terrorists should not misconstrue that this will dishearten us and the nationalist movement will come to an abrupt end.”
“Sheikh Waseem Bari was also provided eight PSOs. How the attackers succeeded in their designs remains a subject of investigation but security certainly needs a re-look,” J&K BJP vice-president Narinder Singh said.
Bandipore was known as a militant hub in the past due to its proximity with Gurez, Lolab and Sopore, which are traditional militant routes or hubs. Of late, militants had been staying away from Bandipore and its adjoining areas. However, after Bari’s killing it seems militants have again made inroads into the district.
Kashmir inspector general of police Vijay Kumar said there is militant presence in the area since they were able to carry out a pre-planned attack. “We will neutralize them very soon,” he added.
Political analyst Asim Ahmad said Bari’s killing is a message from militants that BJP leaders in Kashmir are now on their target and even their family members can be attacked.