Police officials and locals pay tribute to six police personnel who were killed by Lashkir-e-Taiba militants, ... Read More

SRINAGAR: Saturday saw another big fat terrorist funeral in Kashmir. Hundreds of villagers, some carrying Pakistani flags, attended the funeral of Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Junaid Mattoo , who was killed in an encounter at Arwin in Kulgam on Friday, even as dozens of terrorists fired assault rifles in the air.

And, barely 22km from Mattoo’s village, in Awantipora in Pulwama district, was another much quieter funeral of a 26-year-old policeman who was one of the six killed by the LeT to avenge Mattoo. The faces of the six were also mutilated.

“Feroz had committed no crime and yet they killed him,” sobbed the mother of deceased SHO Feroz Dar. She blamed Pakistan for her son’s death.

SHO Feroz Ahmad Dar , along with five other policemen, was killed on Friday in a gruesome ambush in Achabal in Anantnag district by suspected LeT terrorists who tried to disfigure their faces before walking away with their weapons.

A colleague said, “Feroz had invited his family to Shopian a few days ago for a reunion, but instead they got the news of his killing.”

Besides the expression of grief, there was also anger among the state force at the administration’s directions to “exercise restraint” in dealing with terrorism in the valley.

Senior officers, who wished to remain anonymous, said the Mehbooba government had issued instructions to police to exercise maximum restraint while dealing with terrorists.

“The PDP-headed government owes a lot to the Jamiat-e-Islami workers for winning the polls in 2014 and, therefore, the government has a soft corner for separatists and secessionists who preach hatred against police,” said an angry police officer.

There was also no cop or paramilitary jawan visible during Mattoo’s funeral. Another slain constable Sabzar Ahmad was laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard at Nowgam in Shopian.

The 25-year-old was married only six weeks ago. Constable Shahzad Dilwar Sofi of Bandipora, killed at Hydrepora by car-borne terrorists, is survived by nine-month-old twin male infants and his wife.

Shahzad’s wife, Safina Farooq, was grief-stricken. “We got married only two years ago. Shahzad was also a graduate with B-Ed but joined the police force for better livelihood a few years ago,” cried Safina.

A village elder, Ghulam Mohammad Parray, was incensed at the terrorists for killing a “gentle soul like Shahzad”. “Why are such good people being killed by these terrorists?” asked the 85-year-old Parray.

Police authorities decided to donate a day’s salary of the entire state police force to the families of the deceased policemen killed since January this year in various terrorist attacks.

The numbers of cops killed has seen a rise over the last two years. Last year, 82 policemen were felled and this year has witnessed 20 deaths already.

Comparatively, in 2012, the number of policemen killed was 15; which rose to 53 in 2013; 47 in 2014, and reduced again to 39 in 2015. “Police casualties have increased compared to a few years ago. How long can we be expected to tolerate such attacks? The terrorists sometimes even attack our families,” the officer said.

But, DGP Shesh Paul Vaid described the attacks on policemen as the actions of frustrated terrorists. “Police play a key role in anti-terror operations, which is why they are being targeted,” Vaid said, adding, “This won’t continue, as we are taking all measures to bring the situation under control soon.”



In Video: J&K cops angry over Mehbooba government’s ‘exercise restraint’ order