In a tragic incident, unidentified gunmen targeted and fatally shot a retired police officer, Mohammad Shafi Mir, aged 72, while he was offering morning prayers at a mosque in Gantmulla village, Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district. The assailants opened fire during the Azan, leaving the area cordoned off by Kashmir police. The retired SSP, known for giving the morning call to prayer, was attacked with pellets from a 12-bore gun in what is typically considered a peaceful locality.
According to officials, the retired officer is survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter. Hundreds of people have started to gather at the residence of Mohammad Shafi, after the news of his killing spread in the Baramulla district.
The targeted killing has raised concerns among locals and security agencies, adding to a recent wave of similar attacks on active Kashmiri police and army personnel. Security measures, including intensified vehicle and pedestrian checks, have been implemented in Pulwama and other regions of Jammu and Kashmir in response to the escalating violence. Mobile checkpoints have been established at key intersections in Srinagar and exit points from the city.