Srinagar, Mar 20: Former legislator and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Faqeer Mohammad Khan was found dead inside his government-allotted accommodation in Srinagar on Thursday. The prima-facie suggested a case of suicide even as police have launched a full-fledged investigation into the incident.
Khan, 62, a native of the remote Gurez constituency in north Kashmir, was discovered in a pool of blood within the high-security residential zone designated for protected persons in Srinagar.
A police spokesperson confirmed the incident and stated that a firearm discharge was reported today in the Tulsibagh area of Srinagar, resulting in the death of former legislator Fakeer Mohd Khan, son of Jumma Khan, a resident of Gurez. Authorities have initiated legal proceedings under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNSS) at Police Station Shergarhi.
“Preliminary findings indicate it appears to be a case of suicide, but investigations are ongoing, considering all possible angles,” the spokesman said. BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur, while confirming Khan’s death, ruled out any terror involvement. He said that the police are thoroughly examining the circumstances surrounding the incident. “However, the reasons behind Khan’s drastic step remain unclear,” he said.
J&K Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather remembered Khan as a dedicated leader and expressed condolences to his family. “I pray for eternal peace to the departed soul and strength for the family to bear this loss,” he said. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah informed the J&K Assembly about Khan’s death and described him as a grassroot leader who worked for the development of Gurez. “I extend my deepest sympathies to his family and pray for peace to the departed soul,” he said. The Assembly observed two minutes of silence in Khan’s memory.
Meanwhile, after legal proceedings Khan’s body was sent for postmortem at PCR Srinagar and after that the same will be handed over to the family. Khan was elected to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly as an Independent candidate in 1996. He joined the BJP in 2020 and contested the assembly elections on the party’s ticket last year but was unsuccessful.
