“He stopped suddenly in between his call for Aazan”: Kin mourns former J&K cop shot dead by militants

Baramulla (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], December 24 (ANI): Benumbed and distraught after former senior Jammu and Kashmir Police officer Mohd. Shafi was shot dead by terrorists while offering prayers at a mosque in Baramulla on Sunday, his kin said he was a regular at the mosque for ‘Aazan’ (the morning call to prayer).

Amid the ongoing search for terrorists in the forests of Rajouri after an ambush attack claimed the lives of four soldiers, unidentified terrorists on Sunday opened fire at the former police officer while he was offering prayers at a mosque at Gantmulla in the Baramulla district.

Speaking to ANI, Abdulkareem Mir, the younger brother of Shafi, said, “He was the senior superintendent of police (SSP) and retired from service in 2012. He was a regular at the mosque for ‘Aazan’. However, this morning, Shafi (the muezzin, who calls fellow Muslims to prayer) stopped suddenly in between his call for Aazan. At first, we thought that the microphone had stopped working. However, later, we learned to our absolute shock and dismay that he had been fatally shot.”

Md. Mustafa Mir, a cousin of the slain former police officer, said he was home when he heard a loud noise in between the Aazan call.

However, he wasn’t sure if the noise he heard was of gunshots ringing out. However, his daughter informed him that his cousin was shot dead.

“I received a message saying that my brother received four bullets,” Mustafa Mir added.

Meanwhile, the area was cordoned off in the immediate aftermath of the incident.

Days after an attack on two military vehicles in the Rajouri sector claimed the lives of four soldiers, terrorists on Sunday opened fire at the former police officer at Gantmulla in Baramulla district, police said, adding that he succumbed to his injuries.

“#Terrorists fired upon Shri Mohd Shafi, a retired police officer at Gantmulla, Sheeri #Baramulla, while praying Azan in the mosque and succumbed to injuries. The area has been #cordoned off. Further details awaited,” the Kashmir Zone Police posted from their official X handle.