The Police have asked its personnel to avoid Eid prayers in public places in the wake of mob lynching of a deputy superintendent of police outside the Jama Masjid in Srinagar.

 Police personnel have been advised to offer prayers in mosques in district police lines or protected mosques.   The advisory has been marked to all police stations, all wings of Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Army’s Chinar Corps, ITBP, SSB, CRPF, BSF and CISF.

 “You are advised to instruct the field and subordinate formations that they shall not offer Eid prayers in isolated or general mosques or eidgahs,” an advisory issued from Police Control Room (PCR) on behalf of inspector general of police, Kashmir, to all police stations across the Valley read.

 Asked about the advisory, Director General of Police S P Vaid said, “It is good to take precautions.’’

“They (police personnel) are my men, I will advise them. They are my children, so we will advise them to take precautions,’’ he said.

The advisory comes in the wake of mob lynching of Dy SP Mohammad Ayub Pandith outside the historic Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area of the city on Thursday during Shab-e-Qadar prayers

A violent mob beat to death a DSP Pandith, who had caught him clicking pictures. In defence Pandith opened fire at a group of people, who caught him clicking pictures near the mosque in downtown area of Srinagar.  The police officer was on the security duty deployed by the security wing of the Jammu and Kashmir police.

Director General of Police (DGP), S P Vaid,  earlier termed the killing as sad and unfortunate, stating that the official was killed by the mob while he was performing his duties. “It’s a very sad and unfortunate incident’’.

Police officials said that  Pandit was seen moving around by people near Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta late last nightand he was allegedly clicking pictures of people while they were coming out of the mosque. They said people tried to catch Pandit who fired several shots from his pistol, injuring three persons. The irate mob had  caught hold of him and beat the officer to death.

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