Home after son’s death, soldier killed in South Kashmir!

SRINAGAR: After a brief lull, the terrorists in Valley once again stooped to a new low of cowardice when they mercilessly killed a Territorial Army soldier at his residence in south Kashmir where he had gone to attend the ‘Rasm-e-Chaharum’--fourth day ceremony—of his 16-year son!

Monday’s attack brought back the harrowing memories of on-leave security personnel being killed by terrorists either at their residence or near their homes after being abducted in past one year—the last such incident occurring last month on the Eid day, when three cops were gunned down while attempts to kill two more of their colleagues were made at their respective residences.

43-year-old Lance Naik Mukhtar Ahmad Malik, a militant-turned-soldier affiliated with 162 Territorial Army had come home at Shurat village in Kulgam district on leave to attend the ‘Chahrum’ of his son Sharik Ahmed who died on September 15 after battling for life at an Army hospital for four days following an accident in Kulgam.

“Three terrorists barged into the house of Malik and shot at him from a close range on Monday afternoon,” a police official said.

Malik was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead.

The other son of the deceased, who was present at the time of occurrence of the incident, narrated the entire episode, unable to control his tears.

“Three men entered our house. They claimed they are journalists and want to talk to my father Mukhtar Ahmed Malik.

They found him at the first floor of the house and started questioning him about the deployment of the Army.

"Shoot me if you want to, but don't ask me questions," he quoted Malik as having told the terrorists.

After that, Malik was shot from a close range as the ultras managed to flee the scene.

At least two bullets were pumped into Malik’s chest, leaving him critically injured. The shootout triggered a crisis and nobody knew who came and who killed, reports said.

“I begged them (the terrorists) to spare my father as we have lost a family member two days ago. But they kicked me and shot another bullet,” the other son, a student, said.

Malik was rushed to the Sub-District hospital Kulgam, but had already died before reaching there.

Joint security forces cordoned off the Shurat and its adjacent villages soon after the attack. However, no success was achieved in arresting the terrorists, though they conducted thorough searches and checked the identity cards of pedestrians.

No terror outfit has claimed the responsibility for the killing.

Malik, who is survived by a son, wife, parents and a brother, was a militant-turned-soldier.

A matriculate, Malik has been a known Ikhwani gunman during 1990s, operating under the code-name of Mukhtar Goula.

Later, he was recruited by the army and given a berth in the Territorial Army.

Police said they have registered a case and investigation will take place. It was not immediately known if he was buried immediately.

Meanwhile, Army condoled the death of Lance Naik Malik.

"The Corps Commander and all ranks condole the death of Malik, who was killed in a dastardly act by the terrorists today at his native village," an official said.

He said the Army "stands in solidarity with the martyr's family and assures full support at this hour of grief and in future".