Srinagar: Days after a senior police officer was lynched outside Jamia Masjid, the J&K Police have recovered his service revolver that was snatched by a mob. The police have, meanwhile, sought help to identify the culprits involved in the incident. Deputy Superintendent of Police, Security Wing, Mohammed Ayub Pandith, 57, who was on “access control duty” at Jamia Masjid at Nowhatta, was stripped and lynched when people were observing Shab-e-Qadr (night of power) and had gathered for congregational prayers. Witnesses had said the officer was taken as a spy after he pulled out his service revolver and fired at the mob injuring three persons, when they attacked him. According to sources, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the police had identified nearly two dozen people involved in the lynching and arrested many among them. The SIT recovered the service revolver of the deceased from the old city area. The sources said a SIT member received a call from an unknown number and were told that the revolver wrapped in a newspaper had been kept at a specific place in old city. The SIT raided the spot and recovered the weapon. “We are getting information about the lynching incident and people are helping in the probe,” a senior police officer said, adding that they were expecting to arrest more accused in the case shortly. Meanwhile, to nab all criminals involved in the incident, the SIT head has requested public to help in identifying the persons involved in the lynching, that sparked widespread condemnation.
Tribune News Service