JK Cop lynched: Cannot allow 'state brutality to snatch humanity', says Mirwaiz Farooq

Kashmiri separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday condemned the brutal lynching of Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP), Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mohammed Ayub Pandith by a mob, stating that such brutality to snatch the humanity and values cannot be allowed.

His statement comes amid reports that Farooq was inside the Jamia Masjid when the DSP was doing surveillance.

Farooq took to his Twitter handle to express condolence on the same.

"Deeply disturbed & condemn the brutal act at Nowhatta. Mob violence & public lynching is outside the parameters of our values & religion....," he tweeted.

"....We cannot allow state brutality to snatch our humanity & values," he added.

Meanwhile, National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah also took to his Twitter handle saying the manner of the cop's death of is a travesty and the people involved in this incident will 'burn in hell for their sins'.
"He was a Dy SP in the Security Wing of J&K Police & I understand he was there on security duty for access control at Jamia Masjid," Abdullah tweeted.

"His death is a tragedy & the manner of his death a travesty. May the people who lynched DySP Pandith burn in hell for their sins," he added.

Meanwhile, branding the lynching of Pandith as a 'shameful' act, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti warned the people of the state to not test the patience of the security forces, who use restrain in dealing with locals.
"Nothing can be more shameful than to kill someone who works for the welfare of the people. The Jammu and Kashmir Police are showing maximum restrain as they are dealing with their own people, but for how long? Someday when they will lose their patience, then it would become very difficult for the people," Mufti said after attending the wreath laying ceremony of Pandith here.

Mufti further stressed that the Police were deployed to protect the lives of the locals, but if they continued behaving like this, then it's possible that the past may return in which security forces use maximum force on people.

Last night, Pandith was lynched to death by a violent mob in downtown Srinagar.

The deceased DSP was on surveillance and was allegedly clicking picture of people emerging from the Jamia Masjid mosque, when a mob attacked him.

After the situation became out of control, the cop in his own defence open fire through his service pistol on the mob, in which three people got injured.

The angry mob then proceeded to attack him more severely and ended up taking his life.

Police have recovered the body of deceased and are investigating the matter.

-ANI