Srinagar: A raging mob on Thursday night beat a senior police officer to death near a mosque in downtown Srinagar after he allegedly opened fire at a group of people who objected to him clicking photos.
wDeputy Superintendent Mohammed Ayub Pandith as on anti-sabotage duty near the Jama Masjid mosque in Nowhatta when the incident took place shortly after midnight on Thursday.
He was clicking pictures of people while they were coming out of the mosque, PTI reported.They said people tried to catch him who then fired several shots from his pistol, injuring three people.
On the other hand, reports also suggested that the cop was trying to film the local stone pelting, and was then attacked by the mob. They also stated that the firing could have been in self-defence.
The irate mob then caught hold of him and stripped him naked before stoning him to death, sources said. The situation in the old city has turned tense following the incident.
Police reinforcements were 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 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 killing of a civilian during protests in Kakapora area of Pulwama District on Thursday.
