Just five days ahead of Mirwaiz Moulvi Mohammad Farooq바카라s death anniversary, Jammu and Kashmir Police바카라s intelligence wing on Tuesday announced that two of his 바카라absconding killers바카라 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 Srinagar바카라s Azad Basti and Zahoor Ahmad Bhat alias Bilal from Srinagar바카라s Batamaloo, were involved in the killing of the Mirwaiz on May 21, 1990.
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.
Besides Ajmal Khan and Bilal, three others were involved in the Mirwaiz바카라s killing, according to the police. Of the three, Abdullah Bangroo is considered to be a pioneer among Kashmir바카라s 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 Farooq바카라s killing
On May 21, 1990, armed men entered the home of Mirwaiz Farooq바카라s in Srinagar바카라s Nigeen area, meters away from Hazratbal shrine, and killed him.
In more than three decades since, the 45-year-old cleric바카라s killing has remained a mystery 바카라 at least publicly.
Mirwaiz Farooq is among the most prominent Kashmiri clerics to have been been killed in the Valley바카라s conflcit. He had shot into prominence when he had led the Valley바카라s mass movement for recovery of the holy relic in 1964. It is known as 바카라Moie- Muqadas Tehreek바카라. He was just 19-years-old at the time.
Arch-rival of Sheikh Abdullah, ally of son Farooq
Mirwaiz Farooq was political arch-rival of Kashmir바카라s tallest political leader Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, popularly called the 바카라Lion of Kashmir바카라. There used to be a bitter rivalry between the supporters of Mirwaiz and Abdullah. It was known as 바카라Sher-Bakra바카라 rivalry. The supporters of Abdullah were known as 바카라Sher바카라 while supporters of Mirwaiz were known as 바카라Bakra바카라. There used to be pitched stone-throwing battles between the supporters of two leaders in Srinagar바카라s downtown area.
In 1977, Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq joined Janata Party바카라s assembly election campaign. It was then he invited Prime Minister Morarji Desai to his bastion in downtown Srinagar. At Mirwaiz바카라s bastion in Rajouri Kadal, many old timers recall that the-then PM Desai was welcomed with the song of 바카라Sabzi dastar바카라Pakistanuk gaze aav바카라.
Then, the tables turned. Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq became friend of Abdullah바카라s son Farooq Abdullah. Many say both had love for cricket and it is how their camaraderie thrived.
In a historic turn-around, Mirwaiz Maulvi Farooq joined Farooq Abdullah바카라s and the-then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi바카라s 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 바카라Double Farooq Accord바카라 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.
The road to Mirwaiz바카라s assassination
In 1989, Maulvi Farooq condemned Rubaiya Sayeed바카라s kidnapping by Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) militants. He tried to act as 바카라peacenik바카라. He was in regular touch with then Union minister George Fernandez.
During those days, when Kashmir바카라s atmosphere reverberated with 바카라Aazadi바카라 slogans, Mirwaiz Farooq바카라s 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 바카라Indian agent바카라 by his killers. However, the other side maintained that it was work of 바카라agencies바카라 바카라 unknown and masked, as always in Kashmir.
Mirwaiz Farooq바카라s killing had shaken security apparatus in Kashmir. The-then Governor Jagmohan was replaced in Kashmir after his killing. Mirwaiz Farooq바카라s killing led to bloodshed in Kashmir.
Tragedies and ironies following Mirwaiz바카라s killing
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 Farooq바카라s killing led his teenage son to tread his father바카라s footsteps:
Maulvi Farooq바카라s assassination led his then-teenage son Umar Farooq to ascend the chair of head priest at Srinagar바카라s grand mosque바카라Jamia Masjid. He was also subsequently made head of his father바카라s 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 Srinagar바카라s Burn Hall School.
Umar is considered a moderate separatist leader. He favours resolution of the Kashmir issue through peaceful negotiations. While he has never denounced the 바카라armed struggle바카라, he maintains a safe distance from militant groups. AAC which mostly draws its base from Srinagar바카라s downtown localities is considered pro-Pakistan.
The Hurriyat has been calling for shutdown and urging people to march towards 바카라Martyrs바카라 Graveyard바카라 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 Farooq바카라s death anniversary, making the date more blood-drenched in Kashmir바카라s history.
Ironically, both Maulvi Farooq and his killer Abdullah Bangroo are buried at the same 바카라Martyrs바카라 Graveyard바카라 in Kashmir.
