Jammu & Kashmir: Retired Police Officer Shot Dead Inside Mosque by Terrorists in Baramulla

A retired senior police officer Mohammed Shafi Mir, a resident of Gantamulla Bala village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla, was shot dead by terrorists while he was offering prayers inside a mosque on Sunday morning. Shafi Mir had been retired as the Superintendent of Police (SP).

“Terrorists fired upon Shri Mohd Shafi, a retired police officer at Gantmulla, Sheeri Baramulla, while praying Azan in the mosque and succumbed to injuries. The area has been cordoned off. Further details awaited,” a statement by the police said.

The last rites of Shafi Mir were being performed in Baramula.

Congress spokesperson Ravinder Sharma condemned the murder saying this is “not Jihad, this is the killing of humanity and sheer terrorism”. Speaking to CNN-News18, he also said the incident exposed tall claims of the government that the situation has become normal in Kashmir.

Reacting to the incident, National Conference (NC) chief patron Dr Farooq Abdullah took a dig at the Centre by saying the government claims normalcy in the Valley after the abrogation of article 370, but still, a terror-related incident happened unabated in Jammu and Kashmir.

He also raised a question on the government’s intention to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir saying if elections could be held in Kargil, why does the government not hold municipal elections in the Valley?

LG, Jammu and Kashmir called it a “barbaric act” and assured that the “cowards responsible for it will not be spared”.

“Pained beyond words on the dastardly terrorist attack on a retired police officer, Shri Mohammad Shafi Mir while he was giving a call for prayer in the mosque. Cowards responsible for this barbaric act will not be spared. My condolences to the bereaved family in this hour of grief,” the office of Jammu and Kashmir LG said in an X post.

The incident comes a day after the Indian Army thwarted an infiltration attempt at the International Border (IB) in Jammu killing at least one terrorist.

A group of four heavily armed terrorists attempted to sneak across the IB in the Khour sector of Akhnoor when security forces guarding the IB engaged in firing on the infiltrating terrorists in the early hours of Saturday.

Forests were set on fire by the Pakistani side to divert the Indian Army in the Khour area during the infiltration attempt by terrorists, sources told CNN-News18.

“Infiltration bid foiled in IB sector of Khour, Akhnoor. Suspected move of four terrorists seen through own surveillance devices on the night of 22/23 Dec 23. Effective fire brought down. Terrorists seen dragging one body back across the IB,” White Knight Corps of the Indian Army said in an X post.