Srinagar:
Prominent religious figure and Chief of Jamiat Ahle Hadees Jammu
& Kashmir Maulana Showkat Ahmad Shah was killed on Friday in an
improvised explosive device (IED) blast outside a mosque in
Maisuma area of the city, police officials said. He was 57.
Maulana Shaukat Shah was entering the Ahlehadis mosque to offer Friday prayers in
the Gaw Kadal area of the city adjacent to city centre Lal Chowk
when the improvised explosive device (IED) went off, critically
injuring the religious leader and another civilian, police said.
"He was taken to the SMHS hospital in Srinagar where doctors
declared him brought dead," a police officer told IANS here.
Another youth, identified as Munir Ahmad Mir, was also critically
injured in the blast.
Several attempts were made on the life of Shah in the past.
Jamiat Ahle Hadees Hind has expressed shock over the tragic
incident. Speaking to ummid.com on phone, Maulana Asghar Imam
Mehdi, General Secretary of Jamiat Ahle Hadees Hind condemned the
tragic incident and termed the untimely death of Maulana Shaukat
as a great loss.
"Maulana Shaukat was a popular
regional leader and was known for the welfare work he had done for
the people in Jammu & Kashmir. His death is a great loss for the
people in Jammu & Kashmir, and also for Jamiat Ahle Hadees, Hind",
Maulana Asghar said to ummid.com in phone.
"After becoming President of Jamiat
Ahle Hadees Jammu & Kashmir, he had worked extensively for the
welfare of people and always advised them to refrain from
extremism and violence", he said.
"Though he strongly stood for
the rights of Kashmiri people, he was of the view that violence
and extremism would never lead to a solution", he said.
"He was instrumental in establishing
and running a diagnostic centre for the welfare of people and was
planning to start a medical college, the permission for which is
in the final stage", he added.
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