May those behind lynching burn in hell: Omar Abdullah

Srinagar: Condemning the lynching of a police officer in Srinagar, National Conference working president Omar Abdullah on Friday said the people behind the “travesty” should “burn in hell”.

He said the killing of deputy superintendent of police Mohammad Ayub Pandith outside the Jamia Masjid in the downtown area of the city was height of barbarism.

“I am personally anguished and devastated by this tragedy. That this happened on the most auspicious night and outside Jamia Masjid is shocking,” he said. “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,” Mr Omar wrote on Twitter.

Expressing shock and anguish over the “dastardly and barbaric” killing, Mr Omar said the killing was the height of barbarism and should be condemned unequivocally by everyone.

“ Such heinous elements are the enemies of Kashmiriyat and humanity and should be given the sternest possible sentence as per the law of the land,” he said in a statement.

The former chief minister of the state announced a donation of Rs 10 lakh on behalf of the party and also a month’s salary as MLA to the police welfare fund to support families of such martyrs.

“We are all duty-bound to stand with the family of the martyred police officer and also the police department in this hour of mourning and grief,” the NC working president said.

Mohammad Ayub Pandith, a DSP, was stripped naked and stoned to death by an irate mob after he allegedly opened fire at a group of people, who caught him clicking pictures near a mosque in downtown area in early hours on Friday.