5 people have been arrested so far for the killing of police officer Mohammed Ayub Pandith
Three people have been arrested this morning for the brutal killing of police officer Mohammed Ayub Pandith by a mob in Srinagar, taking the number of arrests in the case to five. A Special Investigation Team has also been formed for a fast track investigation in the case, Jammu and Kashmir Police's top cop SP Vaid has told NDTV.
"12 people have been identified who are involved in this crime. Five have been arrested so far," Director General of Police SP Vaid said. Two people were arrested on Friday evening.
Last night, Superintendent of Police (North Srinagar) Sajad Khaliq Bhat, who was in charge of downtown Srinagar, where DSP Pandith was killed, was transferred.
DSP Pandith was killed by a mob of more than 200 on Thursday night outside Srinagar's Jamia Masjid, around the same time that hundreds of people had gathered inside for congregational prayers.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had said that DSP Pandith, who was on security duty outside the mosque, was a local and so had asked his personal security guards to go home and break their fasts. He was thus alone when he was attacked by a murderous mob of between 200 and 300 people.
"There can't be a more shameful incident than this. This was his own area, so he told his security officers to go home for Shab-e-Qadr (the night of power). What can be bigger evidence of his faith (in the people)," Ms Mufti said on Friday.
A senior policeman said the officer, surrounded by the mob, appeared to have pulled out his service revolver in self defence as a last resort, but even as he stared death in the face he took care to shoot only at his attackers' legs, injuring three.