SRINAGAR: Retired Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mohammed Shafi Mir was killed while offering ‘azaan’ prayers at his local mosque at Baramulla in North Kashmir, on Sunday morning.
Following the attack, the Jammu and Kashmir Police proceeded to cordon off the area.
Mir retired from the position at the 12th Armed Battalion of the Indian Reserved Police (IRP) on January 31, 2013.
Official sources told The New Indian that the former SSP was shot with a pellet gun, which broke the mosque’s window and successively, reached the officer resulting in his death. They said, “The former senior police officer was shot with a 12 bore pellet gun. The gunman first broke the window glass from outside the mosque and fired a point blank shot on the officer. He was taken to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.”
FLASH : Body of retired Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Jammu & Kashmir Police namely Mohammad Shafi Mir who was shot dead at a local mosque today morning brought to his residence at Gantmulla, Sheeri Baramulla for the last rites.#JammuAndKashmir
Reports :… pic.twitter.com/1uRpGaTaEb
— The New Indian (@TheNewIndian_in) December 24, 2023
Furthermore, a senior police officer, while speaking with the TNI, said that the initial reports suggest that there is a possibility of rivalry being a motive in his death. “Although the preliminary information suggests that it is a terrorist attack but given the weapon which has been used to target the officer and some other circumstances involved, the Police are also investigating and exploring the possibilities of other angles like rivalry,” said the officer.
Presently, further investigations are still underway, with the police illustrating that they aim to “nab the killers soon”.
The deceased officer was 68 when he succumbed to his injuries. He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.
#BREAKING : Terrorists have shot dead a retired Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of #JammuKashmir Police namely Mohammad Shafi Mir, at Gantmulla, Sheeri Baramulla, while he was offering prayers in the mosque. He was 72 years old and survived by an old wife, 2 sons and a…
— The New Indian (@TheNewIndian_in) December 24, 2023
Accordingly, the SSP had served as a Police officer at Baramulla District, Traffic Police, CID’s CIK Wing, IRP 1st Battalion, Vigilance Organisation, Handwara District as Deputy Superintendent of DAR, and IRP 4th Battalion.