SrinagarHundreds of people on Saturday participated in the last rites of slain Territorial Army soldier, Irfan Ahmad Mir, in Keegam area of Shopina district in south Kashmir.
According to the reports, an off-duty army soldier, who had gone missing on Friday evening, has been killed by suspected militants in the Shopian area of South Kashmir.
The reports said suspected militants abducted and killed a 23-year-old Territorial Army man and his bullet-riddled body was recovered from an orchard area in Watmullah Keegam area of Shopian, an Army official said.
He said the deceased was identified as Irfan Ahmad Mir, a resident of Sezan Keegam.
According to the eyewitnesses, women were seen wailing and crying as they discovered the body of the soldier lying on the grass with its face down. At least two empty cartridges of the bullets fired possibly from an AK-47 rifle were found close to the body. The police soon took the body into their possession for further investigations and conducting other formalities before handing it over to the next of the kin of the deceased.
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Eyewitnesses said that people from different areas marched towards the Watmullah village where Irfan was laid to rest.
Mir was working in the Territorial Army and was abducted by militants and later killed, the official said, adding that further details were awaited.
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned Mir’s killing.
“Strongly condemn the brutal killing of Irfan Ahmed, a brave Territorial Army soldier at Shopian. Such heinous acts will not weaken our resolve to establish peace and normalcy in the Valley,” Mehbooba said on Twitter.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the Territorial Army jawan’s killing.
“The murder of young Irfan Dar is a very tragic & reprehensible act. My unqualified condemnation & heartfelt condolences to his family,” he tweeted.
Taking a dig at Mehbooba Mufti holding a public darbar in south Kashmirs Kulgam district, Omar said that Mehbooba Mufti should focus on the security situation in the state, which he alleged was the biggest failure of the present dispensation.
In all humility Ms Mufti needs to leave the grass root delivery to officers in the field & focus on security situation. Biggest failure of Mufti Govt has been security, he tweeted.
The police say they are investigating the incident and if militants are behind the killing of 23-year-old soldier who had come home on vacation.
Officials say Irfan, a territorial army jawan was posted with the Engineering Regiment of the army at Gurez near the Line of Control.
Irfan Ahmad Dar is the third off duty Kashmiri soldier killed this year. In May, Lt Umar Fayaz was killed in the same area after militants kidnapped him from a marriage party in Kulgam district.
In September, Mohammad Ramzan Parray of the Border Security Force was shot dead by militants when he and his family resisted attempts to kidnap him.
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