PDP leader’s guard shot dead outside a mosque in Anantnag

This is second such incident in the violence-torn district of the state. On July 15, a policeman guarding a National Conference (NC) leader was killed when suspected militants opened fire in Hillar area of Anantnag district.

Suspected militants shot dead a personal security officer (PSO) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Sajjad Mufti, a relative of PDP president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, in south Kashmir’s Anantnag on Friday afternoon, the police said.

Farooq Ahmad Reshi, a personal security officer (PSO) of Mehbooba’s cousin Sajjad Mufti was gunned down outside a mosque in Bijbehara and his weapon taken away. (AFP FILE/ Representative Image)

So far, no militant group has owned up the attack.

Constable Farooq Ahmad Reshi was killed outside a mosque in Bijbhera when Friday prayers were in progress. The incident took place 50 metres away from Sajjad Mufti’s house. Locals said Sajjad along with his father was inside the mosque offering prayers when the gunman attacked the police constable. They also snatched his weapon before fleeing, said S P Pani, inspector general of police (Kashmir). Another police official said Reshi was attached to District Police Lines Anantnag.

Soon after the incident, the police and the army launched a search operation to track down the killer. This is the second such incident in the Anantnag district in the past four days. On July 15, a policeman guarding a National Conference (NC) leader was killed by suspected militants in Hillar area of the district.

Former J&K chief minister and NC vice-president Omar Abdullah also condemned the incident. “Another police bodyguard killed in the line of duty in south Kashmir... I pray for the soul of the departed...”

Meanwhile, mobile internet services have been suspended in parts of south Kashmir, though the reason for this was not immediately known.