Politicians from all quarters have expressed shock and dismay after Mohammed Ayoub Pandith, a deputy superintendent of police in J&K Police, was lynched by an irate mob in Srinagar on Friday. 

What had happened?

The police officer was on duty outside old Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid in Nowpora area when a group of youngsters surrounded him, after seeing him allegedly making a video of a demonstration on Thursday night. As per a The Hindu report, a rumour spread that the officer belonged to some “security agencies and was a non-Muslim”. As the mob tried to drag him away, the officer, who incidentally lived just 3 km from the site, opened fire at them, injuring three in their lower limbs. It was after this that the crowd stripped him naked, and lynched him to death with stones. 

So far, two people have been arrested by the police and a third has been identified.

Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has called the incident shameful and warned the citizens against testing the patience of the security forces.

“The Jammu and Kashmir Police are showing maximum restrain as they are dealing with their own people, but for how long? Someday when they will lose their patience, then it would become very difficult for the people,” she told ANI News.

There have been some strong reactions from political leaders across parties:

Kashmiri separatist leader and All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said it was deeply disturbing.

(With inputs from PTI)