Jahangeer Ganaie

Pulwama gunfight deprives two minor daughters of father’s love

Pulwama gunfight deprives two minor daughters of father’s love
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Pulwama: The pain and agony over the killing of their father has tormented the hearts of two minor daughters of the slain civilian who was killed during a gunfight that claimed nine lives on Monday in Pinglena village of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
The two minor daughters of slain civilian who according to police was killed in initial exchange of fire in Pingelan area of Pulwama have been questioning the killing of their father.
Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat (45), son of Late Mohammad Sultan Bhat of Pingelan village of Pulwama was killed in exchange of fire during an encounter between forces and militants on Monday.
Abdul Gani, cousin of Mushtaq said that on Monday night, forces cordoned off the area and asked them to come out of houses and started door to door search.
After forces completed search in slain Mushtaq’s house, they (forces) asked him and many others including him to accompany them till they complete search in all nearby houses, he said.
However, when forces along with civilians approached towards the nearby house, the hiding militants fired upon forces, which was retaliated and in exchange of fire Mushtaq was killed, he said.
“We were not aware that militants are hiding in the area otherwise we would have resisted accompanying the forces,” he said adding that exchange of fire was very heavy and don’t know how they (civilians) managed to escape.
“We can’t blame anybody as I don’t think he was killed deliberately by forces or militants,” he said.
However, two minor daughters of slain Mushtaq have been questioning frequently that “why our father was killed and what was his fault?.”
Mushtaq was running a Kiryana shop in his locality and was the sole bread earner of his family, said locals, demanding compensation to the family as they don’t have any other source of income.
Government must provide a job to the family so that they don’t face any problems in future, they said, adding that Mushtaq has left behind two daughters and his wife.
Meanwhile, thousands of people participated in his funeral and he was laid to rest amid pro-freedom sloganeering.


Jahangeer Ganaie

Jahangeer Ganaie is a reporter and covers regional news and can be contacted [email protected]

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