Srinagar:
A man was lynched by an irate mob after he allegedly opened fire at a group of people who caught him clicking pictures near a mosque in the downtown area of Srinagar late on Thursday night. The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday morning revealed that the man lynched was a Deputy Superintendent of Police Mohammed Ayub Pandith, who 'sacrificed his life in the line of duty.'
Srinagar: Wreath laying ceremony of Deputy SP Mohammed Ayub Pandith of Security beaten to death by mob in J&K's Nowhatta last night pic.twitter.com/gtrmDY0xF0
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 23, 2017
Isse bada sharmnaak vakya koi ho nahin sakta: J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti on Deputy SP Mohammed Ayub Pandith beaten to death by mob in Nowhatta pic.twitter.com/sOS8NDCQH4
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 23, 2017
Our police is one of the best police force in country, showing maximum restraint because they feel they're dealing with their own ppl:J&K CM
— ANI (@ANI_news) June 23, 2017
#JKPolice claims that Office sacrificed his life in line of dutyhttps://t.co/u1MVQmkW5r pic.twitter.com/FRcQYtkofq
— News Nation (@NewsNationTV) June 23, 2017
According to an earlier police report, the mob spotted a man moving in suspicious circumstances by some people near Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area at 0030 hours. He was reportedly clicking pictures of people while they were coming out of the mosque.
They said people tried to catch the man who allegedly fired several shots from his pistol, injuring three persons. The irate mob then caught hold of him and stripped him naked before stoning him to death, the sources said.
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His body was taken to police control room for identification and other legal procedures, they said adding the situation in old city has turned tense following the incident.
The identity of the deceased could not be immediately established as the angry mob went on a rampage targeting empty security pickets erected in the area.
Police reinforcement was rushed in to restore normalcy in the area. Muslims across Kashmir are observing Shab-e-Qadr (the night of power) with night-long prayers and supplications being made inside the mosques and shrines of the valley.
The authorities have already announced restrictions on the movement of people in seven police station areas of the city as a precautionary measure.
The restrictions, which would come into force at dawn, were announced to maintain law and order as separatists had called for protests after Friday prayers against the killing of a civilian during protests in Kakapora area of Pulwama District on Thursday.
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