Lawaypora Shootout: Police investigating injured youth’s family claims

SRINAGAR — Jammu and Kashmir Police on Friday said that it will investigate thoroughly whether the third youth who received injuries at Lawaypora shootout was a civilian or had joined militancy.

Umar Fayaz, 25, a resident of Lawaypora area of Srinagar outskirts, received serious bullet injuries on February 05 when two militants, one from Lashkar-e-Toiba and another from Hizbul Mujahedeen were killed.

A bullet pierced through his chest, damaging his vital organs. He has been battling for his life at SMHS hospital Srinagar.

Speaking on the sidelines of a press conference here, SSP Srinagar Dr Haseeb Mughal said that he is personally going to meet the injured Umar Fayaz.

“So far two cases related to law and order are registered against him in police station Safa Kadal. We have taken note of reports and his family’s claims that Umar Fayaz was at his shop,” he said.

The SSP said that since Umar Fayaz was not in a position to speak in the past two days given his injuries and now that he has recovered a bit, police will ask him a few questions that will help in “our investigations to find out whether his family’s claims were true.”

“See we have nothing to hide. Whatever the facts would be, we will bring truth to fore,” the SSP said, adding that all angles will be investigated and CCTV footage will also be checked to see where Umar Fayaz was actually when the incident happened and how a bullet hit him.

Asked about the scooty, on which three persons travelled as claimed by the Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh during a press conference on February 05, the SSP said that reports say that the two-wheeler was taken away by some people. “We are investigating that angle too,” he said.

On February 05, two militants Zia-ur Rehman of Bijbhera and Khateebul Das of Arth, Budgam were killed in the shootout while third person Umar Fayaz had sustained grave injuries.

The DGP, however, had claimed that Fayaz was associated with Islamic State J&K. Umar Fayaz’s family had strongly refuted police claim stating that he was sitting at his father’s shop when a bullet hit his chest.