Dastardly Terror Attack in J&K Killing Police Officer and his Family, but a Top Terrorist Arrested

Manas Dasgupta

NEW DELHI, June 28: Even as the Jammu and Kashmir police had a major success in netting a top terrorist leader Nadeem Abrar, the security forces received a huge shock in the Special Police Officer (SPO) Fayaz Ahmad and his wife and daughter gunned down at his residence by the terrorists.

Top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Nadeem Abrar, who was involved in several attacks on security forces and civilians in Kashmir, was arrested on Monday, officials said.

Fayaz Ahmad, his wife and daughter were at home when militants barged into their house in Pulwama and riddled them with bullets. The incident occurred at around 11 pm on Sunday.

They were rushed to a local hospital where the SPO and his wife Raja Begum succumbed to their injuries. Their daughter Rafia, who was initially shifted to a larger hospital for treatment, too died on Monday morning.

Security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to track down the assailants. Police said two Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militants, including a foreigner, were involved in the killing.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said Fayaz Ahmad’s wife and daughter tried to save him but they were also fired upon by the militants.

“There is a movement of militants in this area. Two terrorists came last night, one of them from appearance seems to be a foreign terrorist,” Kumar told reporters. He added, “We will soon identify and neutralise them.”

This comes barely hours after an attack at the Air Force station in Jammu. Payloads of more than two kg each in improvised explosive devices fitted with impact charges were dropped on the Indian Air Force station in Jammu on Saturday night, preliminary investigations have revealed.

Sources in the security establishment said there was evidence that two drones were used in the militants attack, and that a “high grade” explosive was used.

All Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir condemned the killing of the SPO and his family members calling it “dastardly and cowardly” act and a “form of terrorism”.

“I unreservedly condemn the dastardly and cowardly militant attack on the J&K police SPO Fayaz Ahmed, his wife and his young daughter at their home last night. I pray they receive their place in Jannat and their loved ones find strength during this terrible time,” National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah wrote on Twitter.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said no words were strong enough to condemn the cowardly attack. “No words are strong enough to condemn the cowardly attack in Awantipora that claimed the lives of a JKP officer Fayaz Ahmad, his wife and daughter. May Allah Ta’aala grant them maghfirat and their loved ones the fortitude to bear this loss (sic),” Mufti tweeted.

Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone said the news of the killing was “extremely distressing” and called the perpetrators “thugs of violence”. “Woke up to extremely distressing news of violence. An entire family fell to bullets. No respite from these thugs of violence. May they rest in peace. May the family muster courage to bear this loss,” Lone said in a tweet.

The BJP’s J&K spokesman Altaf Thakur also condemned the attack as cowardly and barbaric, saying that barging into the house of a cop and killing him and his family members is nothing but a pure form of terrorism.

“The act deserves the strongest condemnation and that those behind the act will meet the same fate. What was the fault of the innocent wife and daughter of policeman? Killing women is (in) no way bravery, but a pure cowardly attack which deserves the highest form of condemnation,” Thakur said.

Meanwhile, the police said top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Nadeem Abrar was arrested on Monday. “Top LeT commander Nadeem Abrar arrested. He was involved in several killings. Big success for us,” IGP Kashmir zone Vijay Kumar said in a tweet.

While Kumar did not give any details about the arrest, sources said security forces arrested Abrar and another suspect at a checkpoint at Parimpora on the outskirts of the city.

The security forces recovered a pistol and a grenade from the possession of the duo.

According to police, Abrar was involved in the killing of three Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel at Lawaypora earlier this year.