Cleric found dead in mosque at Maisuma

SRINAGAR — A 78-year-old cleric and the former chief of Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen Abdul Gani Dar was killed inside a mosque at Maisuma area of Srinagar.

Officials said that Dar alias Gani Ghazali, who was a prominent cleric of Jamiat-e-Ahlihadith (JeA), had offered Zuhr (afternoon) prayers at Maisuma masjid. “He was found dead soon after Zuhr prayers. Seemingly it looked like a murder case,” an official said.

The deceased was a resident of Rusu, Beerwah in Budgam district of central Kashmir.

The body of Dar was recovered by police. “Preliminary inquiry reveals that Dar was hit on his head that caused his death,” a police official said.

He added, “We have decided to watch the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) to supplement the investigations.”

A case has been registered by the police in police station Maisuma and investigations have been taken up on fast track basis.

In April 2011, JeA president and senior cleric Moulana Showkat Ahmed was killed in an explosion at the same place. Dar, sources said, was questioned with regard to Moulana Showkat but was later set free.