New Delhi
Special Police official (SPO) Ishfaq Ahmad and his brother Umar Jan were preparing for a presentation of their final examination of the Stenography course when a terrorist entered their home in village Chadbugh in central Kashmir, dragged them from the first floor before opening fire at them.
Sunday turned the day of their funerals while both were supposed to be writing their test for selection as Sub-Inspector in Jammu and Kashmir police.
A woman relative, who called herself the daughter-in-law of the (extended) family, was the eyewitness and she even spoke to the killer. She asked him why he was abusing Ishfaq and Umar and beating them. “I told him, we can talk and sort out any problem if there is one,” she told media persons on camera.
A grieving member of the family of slain brothers Ishfaq and Umer
The woman who covered her face partially said both brothers were busy making charts and graphs for the presentation, part of the course of stenography they were completing at the ITI (Industrial Training Institute), Budgam.
She said Ishfaq would stay at Police line, Budgam, and had come on leave to prepare for both the examinations.
Giving an account of the gruesome killings of two brothers that have filled people with anger as mourners in huge numbers turned out at the twin funerals.
Coffins of Ishfaq and Umer being carried for burial
Generally, women avoid attending funerals but they were present in large numbers at the funeral; grief and anger writ large on their faces.
The huge rush of mourners forced the Railways to close the services as mourners had been sitting close to the track where the brothers’ house is situated.
The eyewitness said while she trying to engage in a conversation with the intruder, he opened a burst of fire from his gun at both the brothers in the compound of their house.
Ishfaq, she said, had died on the spot, while his brother Umer was bleeding and alive. She even helped him drink water. He later died in the hospital.
Scene from the funeral of ishfaq and Umer
The woman claimed to be a newcomer daughter-in-law she didn’t know the name of the killer but if he comes in front of her she recognized him.
The killings have led to a groundswell of anger and revolt against the terrorists. The mother of the slain brothers and other relatives were seen asking the killers “What was their fault; their SI exam admit cards await them.”
Some mourners questioned terrorists linking “jihad with such senseless killings.”
A member of Ishfaq and Umer's family is distraugh with grief
Ishfaq Farooq's body was kept at the police lines for the policemen to pay tributes before it was handed over to the family for burial. Senior Police officers later visited the grieving family and told them the killers will be arrested soon.
In public perception, both the brothers were hard-working men who were trying to improve their lives.
It may be mentioned that two more Policemen in the family live in the same house. By providence, they were not present at home when the terrorists came.
(Pictures: Basit Zargar)
.webp "Mother of ishfaq and Umer at their funeral (Twitter)")
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.webp "Union Home Minister Amit Shah")
.webp "Syed Zainul Abedin Ali Khan, spiritual head and Dewan at Ajmer Sharif Dargah")
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