The Jammu and Kashmir Police’s State Investigation Agency (SIA) has announced a reward of ₹10 lakhs for information leading to the arrest of the terrorists who killed senior advocate Babar Qadri in 2020.
Qadri, a regular participant in TV news debates, was shot dead by two gunmen who posed as his clients at his Srinagar home on September 24, 2020. A case was later registered at the Police Station Lal Bazar in Srinagar.
The case was transferred to the SIA last month. The SIA has now issued a public notice offering the reward for information leading to the arrest of the killers.
The notice states that the identity of the informer will be kept confidential. Those with any information can contact the SIA.
In August 2021, security forces shot dead the chief commander of The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow front of Lashkar-e-Taiba, Abbas Sheikh, and his deputy Saqib Manzoor. The police said that Saqib was also involved in Qadri’s murder.
Last year in August, the police also conducted searches at the residence and office of three lawyers in connection with Qadri’s murder.
The SIA’s announcement of the reward is a significant development in the case. It is hoped that the reward will encourage people to come forward with information that could lead to the arrest of the killers.
Qadri’s murder was a heinous crime. He was a respected lawyer and a vocal advocate for peace in Kashmir. His death was a loss to the legal community and to the people of Kashmir. The SIA’s efforts to bring his killers to justice are commendable. I hope that the reward will lead to their arrest and prosecution.
