• Alert sounded in entire region
• Police announces Rs 10 lakh reward for tip leading to Rajouri terrorist
• Hundreds gather for funeral prayers of terror attack victim
Srinagar, Apr 23: In the aftermath of a tragic incident in Rajouri village, security forces have escalated efforts to track down the perpetrators. Mohammad Razaq (40) was fatally shot while leaving a mosque in Kunda Top village, under the Thanamandi police station area, late Monday night. Razaq, whose brother Mohammad TahirChoudhary serves in the Territorial Army, succumbed to his injuries, while his brother escaped unharmed.
Security forces, in a joint operation, have intensified searches in the Poonch forests for the second consecutive day. The dense forest terrain poses challenges, but authorities remain committed to neutralizing the terrorists responsible. The search, supported by sniffer dogs and aerial surveillance, has been extended to neighbouring villages.
Sara Begum, Razaq’s widow, recounted the harrowing events, noting that unidentified persons barged into their house, asking for LalHussain, her husband, before fatally shooting him near their residence. Authorities are vigilant, conducting thorough checks on vehicles and individuals across the district, with FIRs filed in connection with the incident.
“ I saw one person wearing black clothes and long hair carrying a bag. They heard the gunshot, found her husband dead, and then chased after her brother, who is in the Army,” she told reporters at the Kunda village.
A police officer told Rising Kashmir that joint search operation to nab terrorists continued for the second day in Poonch forests and security has been beefed up in the area. The entire forest belt is still under tight security cordon to neutralise the terrorists. The area is mountainous and the forest is dense, making the operation difficult and dangerous,” he said.
The official said earlier in the morning CASO was launched in Kunda and adjoining villages and intensified the searches in the area with the support of sniffer dogs and aerial surveillance to track down the terrorists.
Authorities are checking vehicles and frisking people at different points in the district and police has registered FIR in this regard.
Meanwhile, theJammu and Kashmir Police have announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh for any information leading to the identification and capture of the terrorist, identified as Abu Hamza, involved in Razaq’s killing.
“The reward has been announced for the terrorist identified as Abu Hamza for his involvement in terror activities, including the heinous killing of MohdRazaq,” the official said.
On Tuesday, Razaq was laid to rest in the local graveyard in which hundreds of people from all over the area participated. He was given a tearful adieu by the family, relatives and people of the area.
The funeral prayers were held at 2.30 pm in Kunda village in which hundreds of the people participated. After the prayers, Razaq’s body was laid to rest in the native graveyard where his father was buried.
His father Muhammad Akber was also a victim of terrorism as his throat was slit by the terrorists in the year 2003. Razaq was appointed in the social welfare department on compassionate grounds after his father’s killing and was working as a junior assistant in the department. Razaq’s eldest son is just 15 years old.
It was the third terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. OnApril 17, terrorists fired upon & critically injured one person identified as Raju Shah resident of Bihar at JabliporaBijbehera, Anantnag, who later succumbed to injuries.
On April 08, a non-local cab driver was injured after being shot by terrorists in Padpawan, area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
Meanwhile, the voting for Jammu Parliamentary Constituency is scheduled on April 26, under the 2nd phase of LokSabha Elections-2024.
