Bullet-ridden body of a young Kashmiri military officer Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz was found this morning in South Kashmir after he was kidnapped by unidentified terrorists last night from the wedding of his cousin. Police said that he was abducted by a group of terrorists at about 10 pm yesterday and his body with bullet wounds on his head and abdomen was found in Shopian, about 30 kms away.
The 22 years old Fayaz, has become the first local Muslim military officer to have been killed by terrorists and that too in his native place where he had come on leave to attend a marriage in the family in Shopian. He belonged to the Sursona village in the Kulgam district in South Kashmir and was among the very few Kashmiri Muslim officers in the army and as such had become a role model for the village youth.
Terrorists have been targeting policemen in the valley, but this is the first incident of killing a local military officer.
As his body with eleven injury marks arrived after postmortem, his village echoed with cries of womenfolk for whom the incident was unbelievable. However, a group of youth nearby indulged in pelting stones at security forces that have launched a search operation in the area and had come for burial of the slain officer with military honours.
It was exactly five months ago on December 10 last year that Fayaz was commissioned in the army and was posted in the 2nd Rajputana Rifles in the border town of Akhnoor in Jammu.
Colonel Rajesh Kalia, Srinagar based spokesman of the army, said that the army commits to bring perpetrators of this heinous act of terror to justice. The army stands by the bereaved family at this hour of tragedy, he said.
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley tweeted “Abduction & murder of Lt. Ummer Fayaz by terrorists in Shopian is a dastardly act of cowardice. This young officer from J&K was a role model. Lt. Ummer Fayaz of 2RAJRIF was an exceptional sportsman, his sacrifice reiterates nation's commitment to eliminate terrorism from the Valley. We share the grief of family of Lt. Ummer Fayaz & stand in solidarity. Lt. Ummer Fayaz will continue to inspire youth from the Valley”.
Fayaz would have celebrated his 23rd birthday on 8th of next month. He was inducted in the army at the passing out parade in the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, on December 10 last year.
It is learnt that the terrified family members did not inform the police or army about abduction of Fayaz immediately after the incident. Neither had Fayaz himself informed the local military formation about his presence on leave in his village as was necessary under the protocol in the state.
He was a keen sportsman and was member of hockey team at the National Defence Academy (NDA). He was tipped to proceed to Mhow in Madhya Pradesh in September for some specialized course.
The incident has come just few days after the crackdown by the army in this South Kashmir area where a door-to-door search was conducted by about 4000 troops. Terrorists have been active in South Kashmir from where they have also been uploading on social media videos of their activities.
Leaders of various political parties have not missed the opportunity to exchange barbs at each other. National Conference spokesman Junaid Mattu blaming the PDP—BJP coalition government said the incident was reminiscent of early 1990s.