Officials visit Ummer Fayaz’s Kulgam home, provide monetary aid to family

The authorities have also decided to rename the Army Goodwill School in Behibagh as the Shaheed Lt Ummer Fayaz Goodwill School in honour of the deceased lieutenant.

Victor Force commander Major General BS Raju and civil administration officials visited the family of martyred Kashmiri army officer Ummer Fayaz in Kulgam district to express their condolences on Saturday.

Ummer Fayaz, a lieutenant with the Rajasthan Rifles division, was abducted from the house of a relative in the middle of a marriage function on Wednesday night. His body was found at Shopian in south Kashmir the next morning.

An Army spokesperson said they dropped by Fayaz’s residence on the occasion of Chahrrum – the fourth day of mourning – and promised “full support” to his family in their hour of need. The deceased’s relatives were also presented a cheque of Rs 75 lakh on the Army’s behalf.

Fayaz, a lieutenant with the Rajasthan Rifles division, was abducted from the house of a relative in the middle of a marriage function on Wednesday night. His body was found at Shopian in south Kashmir the next morning.

Though Kashmiri militant groups have denied killing the Army officer, intelligence agencies suspect that the crime was carried out jointly by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen fighters.

“The Army has assured the family of all assistance, and promised to bring the perpetrators of this dastardly act to justice,” the spokesperson said.

The authorities have also decided to rename the Army Goodwill School in Behibagh as the Shaheed Lt Ummer Fayaz Goodwill School in honour of the martyr. “Besides this, the deputy commissioner of police – who accompanied the Victor Force commander – presented lieutenant Fayaz’s family with an ex-gratia cheque on the behalf of the Jammu and Kashmir government, and announced that his family members would be granted government jobs. Cheques from the Central AWWA Ex-Gratia Grant and National Defence Fund were also given to the family by an officer of 2 Rajputana Rifles, which was Lt Fayaz’s unit,” the Army spokesperson said.

Condemning Fayaz’s “cold-blooded murder”, Major General Raju exhorted all sections of the society to help restore peace in the Valley. “He also urged the elderly to guide youngsters away from the path of violence, and join the mainstream in an effort at nation-building,” the spokesperson said.