Killing of truck driver:Over 14 detained for questioning in Shopian

Srinagar, Oct 15: Police Tuesday detained more than14 persons for questioning in connection with the killing of a non-local trucker in ShinduShirmal village on Monday.

Police sources told The Kashmir Monitor that two of four militants have been identified and the investigation into the case has been put on the fast-track.

“One of the militants is a local of Shopian while another one is a Pakistani national. The driver was shot dead shortly after two militants hijacked his truck,” they said.

Police sources said more than14 persons have been detained and are being questioned in connection with the driver’s murder.

The incident took place at around 07:15 pm on Monday, when suspected militants hijacked the truck. They also took its driver along and shot him dead few kilometers away. Later they set the truck on fire. The slain driver was identified as Shareefud din Khan of Rajasthan.

Additional Director General of Police Law and Order, Munir Ahmad Khan told The Kashmir Monitor that the investigation into the case was currently on.

“We are ascertaining the facts. Rest I can’t divulge you the details about the case,” he said.

The incident has sent shivers down the non -locals truckers who are at the forefront of shipping apples to outside Mandies and bringing essential supplies to Kashmir.

 “Most of the truck drivers have shifted to north Kashmir for loading apples. Hundreds of non- local truck drivers have arrived in Kashmir to ship apples to outside the state markets,” said Anand Kumar, a truck driver from Punjab

Sources said the killing of the truck driver failed to create any adverse impact in the fruit mandis of central and north Kashmir. “Truck drivers did their routine work in Parimpora Fruit Mandi.,” Bashir Ahmad Bashir, president Parimpora Fruit Mandi, told The Kashmir Monitor.