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Brother of slain SPO succumbs after terror attack in Kashmir’s Budgam
On Saturday, terrorists shot dead 29-year-old SPO Ishfaq Ahmad and wounded his 21-year-old brother Umar Jan at their residence in Kashmir’s Budgam district in another targeted attack on security personnel.
The brother of a slain special police officer (SPO), who was injured in a terrorist attack in Kashmir, succumbed to his injuries in the early hours of Sunday, officials familiar with the matter said.
On Saturday, terrorists shot dead 29-year-old SPO Ishfaq Ahmad and wounded his 21-year-old brother Umar Jan at their residence in Kashmir’s Budgam district in another targeted attack on security personnel. Jan was undergoing treatment at Srinagar’s SKIMS Hospital.
“SPO Ishfaq Ahmad and his brother Umar Jan (a student) were fired upon by terrorists at their residence in village Chadbugh area of Budgam. Later, both Ishfaq Ahmad and his brother succumbed to their injuries,” the Kashmir Zone Police tweeted.
The attack came against the backdrop of an increase in targeted killings in the region. On March 2, terrorists killed an independent panchayat member, Mohammad Yaqub Dar, in the Srandoo area of Kulgam. A week later, an independent sarpanch, Sameer Bhat, was shot dead on the outskirts of Srinagar.
Two days later, Shabir Ahmad Mir, a sarpanch from south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, was gunned down. The terrorists have also attacked off-duty personnel, killing CRPF soldier Mukhtar Ahmad Dohi and army jawan Sameer Ahmad Malla this month.
The two brothers were buried in their village, with hundreds of people attending the funeral.
“What will I do now? Why didn’t they kill me? What was my fault that this happened to my two children?” their mother lamented at the funeral.
Inspector general of police Vijay Kumar, along with other police officers, met the family of the deceased to offer condolences.
Political leaders from different parties condemned the attack and called for an end to the violence in the region.
“In Kashmir we watch helplessly as young lives are snuffed out. Death & destruction have become the norm. Sadly GOI doesn’t seem to care since Kashmiri lives have little value for them. Deepest condolences to the family,” tweeted former J&K chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti, president of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference also reacted to the killings.
“Unfortunate that brother of SPO Ishfaq Ah. too succumbed to injuries taking toll to 2. We are short of words to express our sympathy with the bereaved family. The terror mercenaries must be happy as another family got devastated. May Almighty grant Peace to the departed souls,” the party tweeted.
