Panic spreads as senior leader of Syed Ali Shah Geelani's Hurriyat shot dead

Srinagar: Unidentified gunmen on Tuesday shot dead an aide of Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani inside his house in southern Anantnag district. His wife was injured in the shootout, the police said.

The slain man was Hafizullah Mir, the district president of Geelani-led Tehrik-e-Hurriyat party. The police and local sources said that Mir was shot at his residence in Budroo village of Achabal area in Anantnag district.

Both husband and wife were rushed to the hospital where doctors declared Mir dead on arrival.

Tehrik-e-Hurriyat which is the main constituent of the Hurriyat Conference faction led by Mr Geelani blamed Mir’s murder on Indian intelligence agencies. The police said he was killed by terrorists.

The police statement read, “Terrorists barged into the house of Mir and fired indiscriminately resulting into critical injuries to him.”

He was evacuated to a nearby hospital where he succumbed.”

It added that the police has registered a case under relevant sections of the law and initiated investigation in the matter. Doctors said that Mir had received bullet wounds in chest and abdomen.

Mir was released from jail last month after serving two-year detention. Tehrik-e-Hurriyat in a statement here said that since his release some unknown people were suspiciously roaming around his house and at times knocking the doors and windows and inquiring about him. Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin also alleged that Mir’s killing was “handiwork of Indian agencies.”

Meanwhile, the body of a 23-year old youth was recovered from Brass area in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Tuesday. The police and locals said that the victim’s body was hanging from a walnut tree in the area.