Waris Fayaz
Baramulla, Nov 01 :
The recent killing of a policeman in north Kashmir’s Baramulla is the third of its kind in the valley in recent days, as the violence has escalated in the last few days.
Ghulam Mohammad Dar, a dedicated police officer with a commendable 25-year record of service, fell to the bullets which shattered his family in Wailoo Tangmarg. A father of seven daughters, he was the family’s sole breadwinner.
Witnesses and villagers, who rushed to Dar’s home to offer their condolences, recounted the harrowing scene. Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the neighbours said gunshots were heard at around 7 pm (Tuesday) and after coming out of their homes, they found Ghulam Mohammad lying on the ground in a pool of blood.
They said Dar had returned home only a day earlier, and he had left to escort a plumber to a neighboring village on his motorcycle. “Tragically, upon his return, he was shot by unidentified gunmen,” said one of his relatives, adding that the family had been preparing for their daughter’s upcoming wedding.
Despite being rushed to a nearby sub-district hospital in Tangmarg, Dar succumbed to his injuries. Security forces swiftly arrived at the scene, cordoning off the area in an effort to apprehend the assailants, the people who had come to offer condolence said.
The shock and sorrow following the incident were palpable, especially among Dar’s family members. His wife and a daughter, who was soon to be married, were left devastated.
“What was my father’s fault, why was he killed,” the shattered daughter asked while breaking down.
The family is seeking justice and demanding that the killers be brought to account for this senseless act.
“We are shattered. Who will now look for my daughters,” the wailing wife of Dar asked. She was being consoled by other women.
The attack comes a day after non-local labourer was shot dead by the unidentified gunmen, suspected terrorists, in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. On Sunday, a police inspector was shot and injured in Srinagar’s Eidgah area. He is battling for his life at a Srinagar hospital.
“Ghulam Muhammad Dar was a polite and friendly in nature; he was an honest person. We have never come across a single complaint against his behaviour,” one of Dar’s neighbour told KNO amid tearful eyes—(KNO)