Slain BJP leader had hoisted tricolour atop his house; celebrated Ambedkar, Mukherjee’s b’day in Kashmir

Srinagar: Cries and shrieks rent the air as the bodies of slain BJP leader Wasim Bari and his family members reached home at Bandipora.

Bari, his father, and brother were killed when suspected militants opened fire at them outside their house at Bandipora on Wednesday evening.

Friends and colleagues describe Bari a `fearless nationalist’ who would not shy away from unfurling tricolour atop his house in the highly-militancy infested Bandipora.

Not once but umpteen times he swam against the tide to keep the national flag flying high. Such was the nationalistic fervour that he celebrated the birthday of Jan Sangh founder Shyama Prasad Mukherjee at his home.  Not only he paid floral tributes to the late leader but also distributed sweets.

Earlier, in April he celebrated the birthday of the architect of Indian constitution Dr BR Ambedkar at his home.

From Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu to Apni Party Chief Altaf Bukhari, leaders across the political spectrum paid tributes to the slain leader.

“Over the telephone, PM @narendramodi enquired about the gruesome killing of Wasim Bari. He also extended condolences to the family of Wasim,” tweeted Dr. Jitendra Singh, MOS PMO.

Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu said the barbaric act of killing innocent people is against humanity and the perpetrators of this cowardly act shall be brought to justice.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar said two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants carried out a “pre-planned” attack on the BJP’s Bandipora leader Wasim Bari. He said all his 10 personal security officers (PSOs) have been arrested and dismissed from service.

IGP Kashmir, who visited the “site of the incident” along with the DIG North Kashmir and SSP Bandipora examined the CCTV footage at the police station which is quite opposite to the slain BJP leader’s house.

Besides, Bari, his father Bashir Ahmed and bother Umar Bari were also killed in the attack that took place yesterday evening at Muslimabad residence of slain in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

“We have checked the CCTV footage in the presence of army and CRPF officers. Two militants from Lashkar-e-Toiba have carried the attack. One is local who has been identified as Abid and another is a foreigner. Local militant Abid fired at the trio from a close range with a pistol while the other one was guiding him. The trio sustained head injuries and succumbed on way to the hospital,” he said.

Kumar said after entering his house, his PSOs had gone to their room. “Bari went to his shop where his father and brother were also present,” he said.

IGP said all the 10 PSOs of the slain BJP leader have been dismissed from services. “They are being questioned,” he said.