Sepoy Irfan Ahmad Dar is the third soldier to have fallen to terror bullets since May this year
Sending a chilling reminder to the Mehbooba Mufti government in the state, terrorists killed an Army jawan on leave at Wothmula village near Keegam in the Shopian district of the sensitive South Kashmir on Saturday.
Sepoy Irfan Ahmad Dar of 175 Territorial Army (Engineers) is the third soldier to have fallen to terror bullets since May this year in the Kashmir valley.
Twenty-year-old Dar had left home at Senzen village in his car on Friday. On Saturday morning, his bullet-riddled body was found in an orchard in the neighbouring Wothmula village.
After completing all the legal formalities, police handed over the body to his family for the last rites. Hundreds of people turned out for the funeral of the fallen soldier.
According to Ambarkar Shriram Dinkar, Superintendent of Police (SP), Shopian, preliminary investigation has revealed that Dar was not abducted, but shot dead by terrorists, since he had left home for some work in his car.
"His car was found nearby and its key was in his pocket. It didn't look like kidnap. It was an act of terrorism; we have registered a case and launched a hunt to nab the culprits," said Dinkar.
The SP said militants were trying hard to show their presence since they had been under pressure after the successful anti-terror operations by security forces.
"Terrorists are definitely involved. There are small groups who have been under pressure after the operations by security forces. So they carry out spectacular actions to get their presence noted," he said.
Police have put the investigations on the fast track and a massive manhunt has been launched to track down the terrorist group involved in the killing. "I want to assure you that terrorists responsible for this act will be neutralised soon," Shriram noted.
Dar was posted in the Gurez sector along the Line of Control in North Kashmir's Bandipora district. He had come home on leave.
"Dar was posted with the Territorial Army unit in Bandipora. He was on leave till November 26. He was possibly abducted and killed by terrorists. The matter is being investigated by police", said Colonel Rajesh Kalia, defence spokesperson at Srinagar.
KILLED OFF-FIELD
- Dar is the third soldier to have been killed when they were home on leave in Kashmir this year.
- On September 27, militants killed BSF jawan-on-leave Mohommad Ramzan Parrey, aka Rameez, and injured three members of his family in Bandipora.
- On May 10, militants abducted Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz of Rajputana Riffles from his uncle’s residence in Shopian and was shot dead in neighbouring Harmain village.
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