Jamiat-e-Ahli Hadith president assassinated

Moulana Showkat Shah, president of Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadit was Friday killed in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion outside Gawkadal mosque here in the heart of city. Shah was nearing mosque which also houses the organizations headquarters when the IED went off. At least one more person was hurt in the blast and has been hospitalized.

“At about 12.25 PM, an IED blast took place near Ahl-e-Hadees Masjid in Maisuma area. In this blast two persons Moulana Showkat Ahmad Shah son of Mohammad Yousuf Shah of Lal Bazar Srinagar and Mukhtar Ahmad Mir son of Mohammad Abdullah Mir of Maisuma were injured,” a police spokesman here said.

“Moulana Showkat Ahmad Shah later on succumbed to his injuries.” Police, the spokesman said, has started investigation into the incident.



People carry the dead body of Shah.

Meanwhile, thousands of people participated in the funeral prayers of Moulana Showkat Ahmad Shah here at Lal Chowk.

Among those who were president among the mourners included JKLF chief Mohammad Yaseen Malik, Chairman Hurriyat (M) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, National Front’s Nayeem Ahmad Khan and Aiyaz Akhbar, spokesman of the Hurriyat Conference (G). Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the chairman of his faction of Hurriyat Conference, was placed under house arrest.

Earlier the death of Moulana Showkat Ahmad Shah plunged valley into grief and led to spontaneous strike in many areas of the Srinagar.

Deeply shocked shopkeepers at Maisuma, Gaw Kadal, Regal Chowk, Koker Bazaar, Sarai Bala and other areas closed their shops soon after learning about the news of Shah’s death.

Another civilian Mukhtar Ahmad Mir was also injured in the explosion. He was rushed to hospital for treatment.

Maulana Shah was closely associated with chairman Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Muhammad Yasin Malik and had earlier survived many assassination bids.

Thousands of mourners joined the 'Nimaz-e-Jinaza' (funeral prayers) of Maulana Showkat Ahmad Shah, who was killed in a powerful blast outside a mosque in summer capital Srinagar just before the Friday prayers.

Thousands of mourners offered the 'Nimaz-e-Jinaza' in city centre Lal Chowk. They were led by senior pro-freedom leaders, including Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, chairman of the moderate Hurriyat group, Muhammad Yasin Malik, chairman of the pro-azadi Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), Professor Abdul Gani Bhat, former chairman of the moderate Hurriyat, Bilal Gani Lone, chief of Peoples' Conference and executive member of Mirwaiz Hurriyat, and Nayeem Khan, chief of separatist Democratic Front.

 The body of the slain religious leader was then taken to his home in Lal Bazar locality of the city where other family members joined the funeral procession to the martyrs' graveyard where Shah was laid to rest amid shouting of pro-freedom slogans by the mourners.

Hundreds of police and CRPF men in anti-riot gear were deployed in the area to thwart protests. Roads leading to Lal chowk were sealed and traffic was diverted to alternate routes by the authorities.