Gunmen abduct, kill army officer in Kulgam
Army Wednesday said that militants killed one of its officers after abducting him in Shopian district.
Ummer, 24, a resident of Sarsun village in Kulgam district, was commissioned as Liteunant in December 2016 and was posted with RAJRIF unit in Akhnoor.
Army said he was found killed in Harmen village in Shopian district on the Tuesday night. “He was on leave to attend wedding of his maternal cousin sister at Batapura (Near Behibagh) in Shopian,” army officials said.
“In a dastardly act, some unidentified terrorists yesterday abducted and then killed a young, unarmed Army Officer, Lt Ummer Fayaz who had come on leave to his native place in Kulgam to attend a marriage in his family,” Army spokesman Rajesh Kalai said.
“The young officer was presently serving in Akhnoor, J&K. The Army salutes the brave heart and stands by the bereaved family in this hour of tragedy and commits to bring the perpetrators of this heinous act of terror to justice,” he said.
Family sources said that the officer had passed National Defense Academy to become Liteunant. “His father is a famer and small time apple businessman, and he is survived by two younger sisters,” they said.
Meanwhile, clashes broke out at the funeral of Lt Ummer Fayaz Parry at Shopian as the villagers pelted stones at the army and policemen who were giving the slain soldier a proper state burial.
The young Army officer, who was abducted and then killed by unknown gunmen, was buried at Sursun village of South Kashmir’s Shopian district. As the officer was laid to rest the presence of army enraged local people who hurled stones on the armed force personnel which had gathered to pay homage to the slain soldier.
The killing of army officer by militants was described as dastardly act of cowardice by Defence Minister Arun Jaitley.
Expressing anguish over the killing of Ummer Fayaz, Jaitley conveyed his condolences to the family and said he would continue to inspire youth from the Valley.
“Abduction & murder of Lt. Ummer Fayaz by terrorists in Shopian is a dastardly act of cowardice. This young officer from J&K was a role model,” Jaitley tweeted.
Jaitley said Fayaz’s sacrifice reiterates the nation’s commitment to eliminate “terrorism” from the Valley.
“Lt Ummer Fayaz of 2RAJRIF was an exceptional sportsman, his sacrifice reiterates nation’s commitment to eliminate terrorism from the Valley,” he said.
BJP leader Ram Madhav, who was the point person for the BJP-PDP alliance, said, “People understand that these militants are loyal to no one and they kill their own people in the most dastardly and brutal ways. This is an act of absolute cowardice and I condemn it. The perpetrators will be brought to the book.”
National Conference leader Junaid Mattu blamed the government for the incident stating that not only the incident was reminiscent of early 1990s but it also showed how the current government has maligned the mainstream politics and reduced people’s faith in it. Mattu offered his condolence to the bereaved family.
KV Correspondent
