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Mirwaiz Assassination Suspects Arrested After 3 Decades, Bringing Back Memories Of A Troubled Past

Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq, a political arch-rival of Kashmir라이브 바카라 tallest political leader Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, was assassinated in 1990.

Late Mirwaiz Farooq with his son Mirwaiz Umar Farooq
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Just five days ahead of Mirwaiz Moulvi Mohammad Farooq라이브 바카라 death anniversary, Jammu and Kashmir Police라이브 바카라 intelligence wing on Tuesday announced that two of his “absconding killers” have been arrested and handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The police added that the two accused, Javaid Ahmad Bhat alias Ajmal Khan from Srinagar라이브 바카라 Azad Basti and Zahoor Ahmad Bhat alias Bilal from Srinagar라이브 바카라 Batamaloo, were involved in the killing of the Mirwaiz on May 21, 1990.바카라 웹사이트

The Mirwaiz is the head-priest of all the Muslims in the Kashmir Valley. Historically, it has been an important position that has also carried political and social influence. Mirwaiz Moulvi Mohammad Farooq was the arch-rival of Sheikh Abdullah, the tallest leader of Kashmir at the time.바카라 웹사이트

Besides Ajmal Khan and Bilal, three others were involved in the Mirwaiz라이브 바카라 killing, according to the police. Of the three, Abdullah Bangroo is considered to be a pioneer among Kashmir라이브 바카라 global jihadists. Bangroo and another person involved, Reham Shigan, have been killed in encounters. The fifth person involved, Ayub Dar, was arrested, prosecuted, and convicted. He is currently serving a life sentence.

The police said all of the five terrorists belonged to pro-Pakistan Hizb-ul-Mujahideen.

Mirwaiz Maulvi Mohammad Farooq라이브 바카라 killing

On May 21, 1990, armed men entered the home of Mirwaiz Farooq라이브 바카라 in Srinagar라이브 바카라 Nigeen area, meters away from Hazratbal shrine, and killed him.바카라 웹사이트

In more than three decades since, the 45-year-old cleric라이브 바카라 killing has remained a mystery — at least publicly.

Mirwaiz Farooq is among the most prominent Kashmiri clerics to have been been killed in the Valley라이브 바카라 conflcit. He had shot into prominence when he had led the Valley라이브 바카라 mass movement for recovery of the holy relic in 1964. It is known as ‘Moie- Muqadas Tehreek’. He was just 19-years-old at the time.바카라 웹사이트

Arch-rival of Sheikh Abdullah, ally of son Farooq

Mirwaiz Farooq was political arch-rival of Kashmir라이브 바카라 tallest political leader Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, popularly called the ‘Lion of Kashmir’. There used to be a bitter rivalry between the supporters of Mirwaiz and Abdullah. It was known as ‘Sher-Bakra’ rivalry. The supporters of Abdullah were known as ‘Sher’ while supporters of Mirwaiz were known as ‘Bakra’. There used to be pitched stone-throwing battles between the supporters of two leaders in Srinagar라이브 바카라 downtown area.바카라 웹사이트

In 1977, Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq joined Janata Party라이브 바카라 assembly election campaign. It was then he invited Prime Minister Morarji Desai to his bastion in downtown Srinagar. At Mirwaiz라이브 바카라 bastion in Rajouri Kadal, many old timers recall that the-then PM Desai was welcomed with the song of “Sabzi dastar…Pakistanuk gaze aav”.
Then, the tables turned. Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq became friend of Abdullah라이브 바카라 son Farooq Abdullah. Many say both had love for cricket and it is how their camaraderie thrived.바카라 웹사이트

In a historic turn-around, Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq joined Farooq Abdullah라이브 바카라 and the-then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi라이브 바카라 electoral alliance in 1986-87 and he got two of his nominees elected as MLAs. Both Maulvi Farooq and Farooq Abdullah also had tacit agreement for elections. It came to be known as ‘Double Farooq Accord’ in Kashmir.

Maulvi Farooq also translated his book Islam Ka Aafaaqui Paigam in Hindi and got its foreword written by the then-President of India.바카라 웹사이트

The road to Mirwaiz라이브 바카라 assassination바카라 웹사이트

In 1989, Maulvi Farooq condemned Rubaiya Sayeed라이브 바카라 kidnapping by Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) militants. He tried to act as “peacenik”. He was in regular touch with then Union minister George Fernandez.

During those days, when Kashmir라이브 바카라 atmosphere reverberated with “Aazadi” slogans, Mirwaiz Farooq라이브 바카라 overtures were being watched from other side.

The air was filled with rumours. Labelling is what gets people killed in Kashmir. It is what perhaps killed Mirwaiz Farooq too. He was labelled as an “Indian agent” by his killers. However, the other side maintained that it was work of ‘agencies’ — unknown and masked, as always in Kashmir.바카라 웹사이트

Mirwaiz Farooq라이브 바카라 killing had shaken security apparatus in Kashmir. The-then Governor Jagmohan was replaced in Kashmir after his killing. Mirwaiz Farooq라이브 바카라 killing led to bloodshed in Kashmir.

Tragedies and ironies following Mirwaiz라이브 바카라 killing바카라 웹사이트

Following the killing of Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq, when the mourners were carrying his body on their shoulders from Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Srinagar to his ancestral home at downtown Rajouri Kadal, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel opened fire on them along the way. Human rights groups maintain that over 60 were killed and around 200 were injured in the firing. The CRPF maintains that its soldiers opened fire after some militants among the mourners had opened fire on the men inside bunkers.

Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq라이브 바카라 killing led his teenage son to tread his father라이브 바카라 footsteps:

Maulvi Farooq라이브 바카라 assassination led his then-teenage son Umar Farooq to ascend the chair of head priest at Srinagar라이브 바카라 grand mosque—Jamia Masjid. He was also subsequently made head of his father라이브 바카라 socio-politico organisation Awami Action Committee (AAC). Umar, like his father, became Mirwaiz in May 1991. He was just 17-years-old then and a student at Srinagar라이브 바카라 Burn Hall School.바카라 웹사이트

Umar is considered a moderate separatist leader. He favours resolution of the Kashmir issue through peaceful negotiations. While he has never denounced the ‘armed struggle’, he maintains a safe distance from militant groups. AAC which mostly draws its base from Srinagar라이브 바카라 downtown localities is considered pro-Pakistan.바카라 웹사이트

The Hurriyat has been바카라 웹사이트calling바카라 웹사이트for shutdown and urging바카라 웹사이트people to march towards ‘Martyrs’ Graveyard’ in Srinagar to commemorate the death annivesary of Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq on July 21 every year.

It was during one such march in 2002 that Hurriyat leader Abdul Ghani Lone was killed by gunmen on Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq라이브 바카라 death anniversary, making the date more blood-drenched in Kashmir라이브 바카라 history.

Ironically, both Maulvi Farooq and his killer Abdullah Bangroo are buried at the same ‘Martyrs’ Graveyard’ in Kashmir.바카라 웹사이트

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