SRINAGAR: A senior religious leader and former militant commander was murdered in a mosque in Srinagar’s commercial hub on Thursday.
The slain Abdul Gani Dar, Jamiat Ahlehadees Budgam
president, was killed by unknown person on Thursday inside a mosque at Gaw Kadal area of Maisuma in Srinagar.
Dar’s associates said that he was murdered after he offered the Zuhr (afternoon) prayers at the mosque’s third floor of the mosque. The CCTV footage has found an unidentified person hitting with a pillar of the mosque at the third flood of mosque. The incident occurred around 2 pm.
“Nothing can be said about the nature of the murder. We are investigating it,” a police official said.
In the video, the murderer has been found wearing a helmet, entering the mosque and reaching the prayer room in the second floor where Dar was praying. The duo was having conversation for sometime before the murderer held his hand and took him to the third floor.
“Here he was found bashing him against the pillar of the mosque. His face was not visible but could be around be aged around 40 years,” the official added.
This is the second incident in a decade when Jamiat associate was killed. Earlier the former head of the Jamiat, Molvi Showkat Shah was assassinated at the door of the mosque in 2011. Dar was also questioned in Shah’s assassination case.
The 80-year-old Dar alias Gani Gazali was a resident of Budgam and was associated with the organisation for a long time. He was also formerly associated with Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen in ‘90s and was its chief.
Dar, according to locals living nearby mosque, was found to be in poll of blood when volunteers of the mosque reached the third floor to clean it for Friday prayers. They said police arrived at the spot when they were informed about it.
In a statement issued here by the police, a detailed search of the premises was also carried out.
Soon after the death, police said, the body of the victim was taken to hospital for conducting of medico legal formalities.
As soon as the news about the killing spread, a pall of gloom descended in the area. Many shopkeepers downed shutters of their establishments.

Junaid Nabi Bazaz