Monitor News Bureau
Srinagar, Nov 20: Unknown gunmen on Tuesday morning shot dead a Hurriyat (G) leader in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district, while his wife was injured in the incident.
Official sources said that unknown gunmen fired upon a Tehreek-i-Hurriyat district president Anantnag, Hafizullah Mir, at his residence in Budroo Achabal area of the district.
In the incident, Mir along with his wife sustained injuries.
Mir was reportedly rushed to the district hospital, however, doctors declared him dead on arrival. His wife is undergoing treatment at the hospital.
A police spokesperson, later in the day, alleged that “militants barged inside the residential house of Hafizullah and fired indiscriminately at him.
“In this incident Hafizullah sustained critical gunshot wounds and was evacuated to nearby hospital where he succumbed. Police has registered a case under relevant sections of law and initiated investigation in the matter,” the spokesman said.
Killing handiwork of agencies: Salahuddin
Srinagar, Nov 20: United Jihad Council (UJC) chief and Hizbul Mujahideen supremo Syed Salahuddin strongly condemned the killing of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat district president for Shopian Hafizullah Mir and said “it was the handiwork of Indian agencies.”
In an emailed statement to The Kashmir Monitor, Salahudin said that “on one hand militants are risking their lives by giving a tough fight to forces and on the other hand some people are acting like Mir Jaffers and Mir Qasims to help the enemy.”
“The killing of Hafizullah Mir is highly condemnable and it’s the act of Indian agencies,” he said.
Salahudin paid rich tributes to four Hizbul Mujahideen militants killed in Shopian gunfight and urged the international community to take strong note of killing of innocent Hurriyat activists.
Joint Hurriyat calls for shutdown tomorrow
Srinagar, Nov 20: Condemning the killing of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat leader Hafizullah Mir, Joint Hurriyat Leadership called for a shutdown on November 22 and protests after Friday prayers in Kashmir.
“Joint Hurriyat has announced a day long complete shutdown against this barbarism and inhuman act on Thursday 22nd November and peaceful protests after Friday prayers on 23rd November to show the solidarity with the movement and martyrs, who laid their lives to end this age old slavery,” said a statement issued on Tuesday .
The Joint Hurriyat comprising Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Yasin Malik expressed grief and strongly condemned this “cowardly and barbaric action by the government agencies,” the statement added.
“…rulers through their local collaborators have always played role of eliminating political activists, who raise their voice against this unholy and unjustified forced occupation,” the statement read.
The leadership said Mir Hafizullah was a highly educated, sensible and visionary pro-freedom leader and his sincerity, dedication and sacrifices have earned him a distinguished place and status in the state political circles especially South Kashmir.
“In every mass uprising, particularly in 2016, he played a pivotal and central role for about five months to sustain that movement and gave a very tough time to the government forces and finally they trapped him in a deceitful manner,” the joint Hurriyat said.
Mir received death threats: Mirwaiz
Srinagar, Nov 20: Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Tuesday said he was “shocked and deeply saddened” by the killing of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat leader Hafizullah Mir.
Mir was shot dead by unknown gunmen at his residence in Achabal area of southern Anantnag district Tuesday morning. His wife was also injured in the attack.
“Shocked and deeply saddened by the killing of resistance leader Hafizullah Mir of Anantnag released from jail after two years, who was being repeatedly threatened for past one month!” said the Mirwaiz on Twitter.
Mir, according to a statement released by the TeH, was receiving death threats on phone from past more than a month.
Mirwaiz also condemned the use of force on protesters in Shopian during clashes after a gunfight left four militants dead.
“In the meanwhile, Indian forces pumped bullets onto protesting civilians in Nandigam Shopian not even sparing young girls three of who have critical bullet wounds! Persecution of leadership continues as Yasin Sahab is again arbitrarily detained (sic),” tweeted the Mirwaiz.
