Mirwaiz Farooq killing: Two accused arrested by Jammu & Kashmir police after 33-years

Nearly 33-years after assassination of Mirwaiz Molvi Muhammad Farooq in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir police on Thursday said it arrested two Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants allegedly involved in the killing, who were evading arrest since 1990.

Mirwaiz Farooq, father of moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar, was killed at his posh Nigeen residence, here on May 21, 1990. The subsequent disorder that followed the killing of the Mirwaiz resulted in firing by paramilitary forces, which left over two dozen people dead.

“The arrested militants include one who had entered into the bedroom of late Mirwaiz and opened fire at him,” Special Director General of Police (CID), RR Swain told reporters, here.
Addressing a rare press conference, Swain revealed that Hizbul commander Abdullah Bangroo had hatched a conspiracy to kill the Mirwaiz. Bangroo was later killed in an encounter with security forces in the same year.

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“Bangroo and his associate (both Hizbul commanders) were killed in encounters while one accused was serving lifer. Two more accused— Javaid Bhat and Zahoor Ahmed Bhat, both residents of Srinagar were arrested by the State Investigating Agency (SIA),” the special DGP said.

He said Javaid and Zahoor were evading arrest for more than three decades as they were hiding in Pakistan and Nepal over these years. “Both have been arrested and handed over to the CBI as proclaimed offenders,” Swain said without divulging the details where from the duo was arrested.

On May 21, 1990, a case regarding the killing of Mirwaiz Farooq was lodged in police station Nigeen under FIR 61/1990. The case was later transferred to the CBI who had presented a charge-sheet against one accused. After arresting him he was presented before a TADA court which sentenced him to life imprisonment.