Army officer, 22, kidnapped and killed in J&K

Sadsun-Kulgam (South Kashmir): Shock and anger have gripped the Valley after terrorists abducted and killed a 22-year-old unarmed Kashmiri army officer when he was attending a marriage in his family in Batpora village of Shopian district on Tuesday.

Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz of Sadsun village, who was unarmed and in civvies at the time of abduction, was taken to the neighbouring Harmain village by terrorists where he was shot dead. His bullet-riddled body was recovered from the same village on Wednesday morning.

"In a dastardly act, some unidentified terrorists yesterday abducted and then killed a young, unarmed Lt Ummer Fayaz who had come on leave to his native place in Kulgam to attend a marriage in his family," said Colonel Rajesh Kalia, defence spokesman at Srinagar.

Lt Fayaz, who hailed from Kulgam district, was posted with 2 Rajputana Rifles in Akhnoor area of Jammu and was leave to attend the wedding of his cousin sister.

This was for the first time that Lt Fayaz had taken leave after being commissioned in the army on December 10 last year, a senior official said. He was to return to his unit on May 25.

Angered by the dastardly act, Lieutenant General Abhay Krishna, General Officer Commanding in Chief and Colonel of Rajputana Rifles, assured the family that the perpetrators of this heinous crime will not be spared. "This marks a watershed moment in the Valley, and the people of Kashmir will decisively turn the tide against terrorism," he said.

A lone son among the three siblings, Lieutenant Fayaz was an alumnus of National Defence Academy (NDA), Pune, and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya at Ashmuqam in Anantnag district of South Kashmir. A brilliant student, Lt Ummer cracked the NDA entrance test in first attempt in 2012.

"He (Lt Fayaz) told me that army is a good career and he wants to go for it. He gave appeared in the entrance test and was selected. He used to come on leave from the academy from time to time and there was no problem as such in our village. Like any other father, I was asking him not to move around much," said Fayaz Ahmad, father of the slain officer.

A pall of gloom descended on the village after the tragic incident. Shrieks have replaced the drum beats as the wedding has turned into mourning and guests have suddenly become the mourners. Family said Lt Fayaz treated his cousin like his own sister and that was why he had gone to her home two days before the 'Mahndiraat' ceremony.

"For the last two days, he was in our home. I did not allow him to venture out. I underwent an eye surgery recently and was bed-ridden. Last night, three people came and took him along. When our women tried to resist, they pushed them away and promised to release him," said Mohammad Maqbool, Lt Fayaz's maternal uncle whose daughter was getting married.

Tragedy befell the family when his bullet riddled body was found at Harmain village, three kilometres from the Batpora village on Wednesday morning. Family was hoping that he would be released but instead they had to receive a body bag of the slain soldier.

"We were waiting through the night but he did not return. In fact, we did not inform his parents. In the morning, people came and asked us to accompany them. They avoided the questions when we asked where we are heading. Later we came to know that he has been killed," said Maqbool.

Friends and locals recall Lt Fayaz as an affable, chirpy and carefree guy who would mingle with people at ease. "Whenever he was walking on the road, he would stop and shake hands and hug villagers. He was very humble and an affable boy," said Abdul Rahim, a local villager.

...& ANALYSIS

• The killing of Lt Fayaz has sparked anger in the security and political establishment.
   
• Clamour is growing for an all-out operation against the terrorists in Kashmir.