NL Correspondent
SRINAGAR: As the police personnel have become soft targets for mobs in Kashmir valley region of Jammu Kashmir state. The Police authorities, in the interest of safety of its men, have issued an advisory asking them not to offer Eid-ul-Fitr prayers at general mosques and Eidgahs.
The advisory has come in the backdrop of the lynching of a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) by an unruly mob on Thursday night outside Jamia Masjid Srinagar.
In a circular with log No-10-B, dated 23-06-2017, the police department has strictly instructed its personnel, officers to offer Eid prayers either at “District Police Line (DPL) mosques or protected mosques”.
The advisory has come from the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Muneer Ahmad Khan, which is sent to the district police headquarters.
“You are advised to instruct the field and subordinate formations that they shall not offer prayers in the isolated or general mosques or Eidgahs. All shall offer the Eid prayers in mosques in DPL Srinagar or Police Control Room (PCR) Kashmir,” the circular reads.
“In other districts also the Eid prayers shall be offered in District Police Lines (DPL) mosques or protected mosques, where the safety of your personnel is ensured,” the circular adds.
The copy of the circular has been also sent to the offices of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Armed J&K, Inspector General traffic, Inspector General Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Headquarters 15 corps, Deputy Inspector General Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB), Director General Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), SSP Operations 9 Cargo, SSP APCR, Commandant Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
On Thursday night during the prayers of Shab-e Qadr, an unruly mob lynched Deputy Superintendent Mohammed Ayub Pandith near Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area of Srinagar.
The incident has angered the police department, which has arrested five persons so far.
Police has set up a special investigative team in the case and has claimed that 12 others have been identified who are linked with the case.
IGP, Kashmir Muneer Ahmad Khan said the advisory has been issued to ensure safety of the police officers and its men.
“The advisory has come in view of the attack on our official by the mob. So we have asked the police force to take care of their security by offering prayers at safer places,” he said.
IGP said that police department has abundant mosques throughout the valley in its police lines, where the police can offer Eid prayers
“Every police line has the mosque. Besides we have made it clear in the advisory about the places where they can offer prayers,” Khan added.
Earlier, DGP, S P Vaid had warned militants “not to drag families of cops into the conflict”. The DGP had also asked the cops not to visit their homes for few months.
