Addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Special Director General of Police (CID) Shri R.R.Swain said that a case regarding the assassination of Mirwaiz Muhammad Farooq was lodged at the Nigeen Police Station on May 21, 1990.
“He was killed on May 21, 1990 at the hands of terrorists of Hizbul Mujahideen. The case was registered at Nageen Police Station in Srinagar,” Swain said.
The Special DG said that the case was later transferred from the Nigeen Police Station to the Central Bureau of Investigation .
“After investigation, the CBI was able to get punishment for one accused Ayub Dar in the Court of the Special Designated Judge TADA Delhi. Ayub Dar was convicted by the court. The court sentenced him for life,” Spl.DG said.
‘It came to the fore during the investigation that five persons were involved in the case.
Abdullah Bangroo was their commander. But during the trial, only one person, Ayub Dar, was arrested in the case and his trial went up to 2009. The trial of the case took 10 years.The main accused, Abdullah Bangroo, was killed in an encounter while he was on the run. Another accused, Rehman Shigan, was also killed in the encounter. Two others, Javaid Bhat alias Ajmal Khan and Zahoor Bhat, were also on the run. The long arms of the law finally caught them. They were absconders and they have been caught. These people will be brought to justice.” said Spl.DG J&K Police Shri Swain
‘The two had gone underground and during all these years were variously hiding in Nepal and Pakistan among other places before surreptitiously returning back to Kashmir a few years ago. Maintaining a low profile, changing addresses, and shifting residences, they avoided the gaze of law enforcement agencies’ said Spl.DG J&K Police Shri Swain
The police said that before killing Mirwaiz, all five militants had gone to Pakistan for training in 1990. Back in Srinagar, Abdullah Bangroo received instructions in April 1990 from his ISI handler in Pakistan to eliminate Mirwaiz.