The Jammu and Kashmir BJP today condemned the lynching of a police officer outside the Jama Masjid in downtown Srinagar, claiming he was killed by the people he was protecting. "Henchmen of a few people derive sadistic pleasure by lynching and killing people just to appease their bosses sitting across the Line of Control (LoC)," state BJP spokesman Khalid Jehangir said

Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir BJP today condemned the lynching of a police officer outside the Jama Masjid in downtown Srinagar, claiming he was killed by the people he was protecting. "Henchmen of a few people derive sadistic pleasure by lynching and killing people just to appease their bosses sitting across the Line of Control (LoC)," state BJP spokesman Khalid Jehangir said.     

Hitting out at separatist leaders, he said, "The lynching of Deputy Superintendent of Police (Deputy SP) Mohammad Ayub Pandit is heart rendering. He was killed by the same people he protected."       

Pandit was stripped naked and stoned to death by an irate mob after he allegedly opened fire at a group of people, who caught him clicking pictures near the mosque, in the early hours today.     

Jehangir said, "The government should reconsider its decision of providing security to (Hurriyat Conference chairman) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, whom the Deputy SP was guarding. They should withdraw the security."  The spokesman expressed solidarity with the Deputy SP's family and prayed for peace to the departed soul. PTI