May the people who lynched Pandith burn in hell for their sins: Omar Abdullah cop’s lynching

Srinagar: The alleged lynching of a senior Jammu and Kashmir police officer outside a popular mosque in Srinagar stirred strong reactions from politicians across party lines on Friday.

Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti described the incident as “shameful” and leader of the opposition National Conference Party, Omar Abdullah, said the manner of deputy superintendent of police Mohammed Ayub Pandith’s death was a travesty.

“May the people who lynched DySP Pandith burn in hell for their sins,” Abdullah tweeted.

Separatist Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the head of the Hurriyat Conference, also criticised the lynching.

“Deeply disturbed & condemn the brutal act at Nowhatta.Mob violence & public lynching is outside the parameters of our values & religion.... We cannot allow state brutality to snatch our humanity & values,” he said.

The alleged lynching comes in the backdrop of mounting tensions in the Valley that has seen violent clashes between police and civilians following several incidents of alleged human rights violations, including tying a Kashmiri man to an army jeep.

“Jammu and Kashmir police are showing restraint because they are dealing with their own people. But the day their restraint is breached, it will become difficult…I appeal to the people, there is still time…if the police starts giving a befitting reply…we hope those days don’t come back when people had to run away at the sight of a gypsy,” the chief minister told news agency ANI.

National Conference spokesperson Junaid Mattu called the incident “heartbreaking” and said he went to police lines to pay his respects to the deceased officer. “Shocked and deeply saddened by dastardly killing of DySP Ayub Pandith at Jamia Masjid last night,” he wrote on Twitter.