20 arrested for Kashmir police officer's lynching

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday said it has arrested 20 persons accused in the lynching of Deputy Superintendent of Police Muhammad Ayub Pandit over a month ago.

Pandit was lynched on June 23 by a mob outside the city's biggest mosque in Nowhatta area where he was deployed to regulate entry of devotees.

"The 20 main accused involved in the lynching of the officer have been arrested and more arrests are likely in the coming days," Inspector General of Police Munir Ahmad Khan told the media here.

"The investigation is ongoing and hunt for the mastermind is on," he said, adding the belongings of the slain officer had been recovered from the accused.

Khan said one of the persons involved in the lynching, Sajad Ahmad Gilkar, was killed by security forces on July 12 in Redbugh village of Badgam district.

Khan, however, said the murder of the officer was a spontaneous act and did not look like a pre-planned one.

He said the involvement of senior separatist leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq in the killing was under the scanner.

The Mirwaiz had delivered a sermon inside the Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area on July 23 as it was the holy night of 'Shab-e-Qadr'.

--IANS

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