ISI involvement suspected in gruesome murder of noted journalist Shujaat Bukhari

Srinagar, June 15: A noted journalist and the editor of Rising Kashmir newspaper Syed Shujaat Bukhari along with his Personal Security Officer (PSO) were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Srinagar on Thursday.

 

Notably, Shujaat Bukhari was attacked by unidentified gunmen on Thursday evening at 7 pm when he was leaving his office in Press Enclave in Srinagar for an Iftar party. Along with Bukhari, two of his PSO’s Hamid Chaudhary and Mumtaz were also killed.

Srinagar police launched a high voltage investigation in the shocking incident and sought the help of the general public to identify the suspects involved in the killing of Shujaat Bukhari. Meanwhile, the police have revealed photographs of the suspect from CCTV footage.

However, police also suspect the involvement of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in the killing of Shujaat Bukhari. It is learned that the agency took the help of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists for getting the journalist killed. So far, no terrorist outfit has taken responsibility for the attack.

Expressing shock over the killing of Bukhari and terming it an act of cowardice, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that it was an attempt to silence the saner voices of Kashmir.

While Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that scourge of terror has reared its ugly head on the eve of Eid."Shocked & deeply saddened by sudden demise of #ShujaatBukhari. The scourge of terror has reared its ugly head on the eve of Eid. Strongly condemn this act of mindless violence & pray for his soul to rest in peace. Deepest condolences to his family," she tweeted.

"Terrorism has hit a new low with Shujaat’s killing. That too, on the eve of Eid. We must unite against forces seeking to undermine our attempts to restore peace. Justice will be done," she added.

Syed Shujaat Bukhari was laid to rest at his ancestral graveyard in North Kashmir's Baramulla district on Friday. Thousands of people attended funeral prayers of Bukhari which was held at Idd Gah Ground at Kreeri area of Baramulla.

State government ministers, legislators, officials, leaders of political parties, media fraternity besides people from local and adjacent areas attended the funeral prayers and the last rites. On the other side, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, Congress leader Prof Saif ud Din Soz, top separatist leader Yasin Malik were among the prominent people who attended the funeral.

Shujaat was editor-in-chief of English daily Rising Kashmir, Urdu daily Buland Kashmir, and Kashmir daily Sangarmal, which are run by Kashmir Media House (KMH). He is survived by parents, wife and two minor children, a girl and a boy.