J&K: Retired Police Officer Shot Dead By Terrorists While Offering Azaan At Mosque In Baramulla District

On Sunday (24 December), a 72-year-old retired police officer, who was the local "muezzin", was shot dead by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district.

The attack occurred while he was performing the "azaan", a call for prayer, from a mosque.

Reflecting on the moments leading up to the death of Mohammad Shafi Mir, his cousin Mohammad Mustafa, who was at his residence, described that the call for the early morning prayers was being broadcasted via a loudspeaker when it abruptly ended.

According to Mustafa, Mir's final utterance was "reham", which translates to "mercy".

According to police, Mir, who retired from his position as a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in 2012, was shot dead by terrorists within a mosque situated in the Gantmulla locality of the north Kashmir district's Sheeri area, PTI reported.

"Terrorists fired upon Shri Mohd Shafi, a retired police officer, at Gantmulla, Sheeri Baramulla, while praying 'azaan' in the mosque and succumbed to injuries," the Kashmir Zone Police said in a post on X.

Police have launched a search operation in the area to nab the assailants.

Mir had taken on the role of the local "muezzin", a person who calls for prayers, and he was deeply committed to his duties at the mosque, according to his family members.

After the incident, Mir's home and the mosque complex saw a significant gathering of people. Mir is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.