JOIN USUse of mosques by ultras a new dimension in Kashmir militancy: CRPF
Stating that the use of mosques by militants has been a new dimension in Kashmir militancy, Special Director General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Zulfikar Hassan on Thursday appealed to masjid committees to ensure that religious places aren’t “hijacked” by ultras.
“In the anti-militancy operations, security forces conduct searches in villages, forests, houses but never touch masjids. Security forces respect religious places,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the wreath-laying ceremony of a CRPF man who was killed in the Sopore shootout on Wednesday in which a civilian was also killed.
Hassan said even before the attack at Sopore, they conducted searches in nearby areas but didn’t search the mosque. “It is the second attempt after Khrew, Pampore in Pulwama district, where two militants took refuge in a mosque,” he said and urged the mosque heads and management bodies across Kashmir to ensure that militants aren’t able to enter mosques to hide and then target forces.
“They (religious committees) have to play a role here,” the special DG said, termed use of mosques by the militants highly reprehensible.
Asked how the civilian was killed in the Sopore shootout, Hassan said that they found two magazines in the mosque.
“The elderly man got killed in the firing from the mosque. We are technically clear that the bullet was fired from the mosque that hit the civilian in his back. I have personally visited the spot, met people and checked the camera. It is beyond doubt that the civilian was killed by militant fire.”
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The Special DG said the minor boy accompanying his slain grandfather was extremely scared. “He was rescued by the CRPF man at the spot,” Hassan said.