Author: Ishfaq-ul-Hassan
Publication: Daily News Analysis
Date: November 21, 2006
URL: http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1065456
Unidentified militants on Tuesday killed a
junior engineer of J&K Power Development Department, (PDD) Bashir Ahmad
Tantray, who had converted to Christianity ignoring threats from Islamic radical
groups.
Tantray was shot dead in his village Mamoosa
in Pattan tehsil of Baramulla district. "Two militants enquired about
the public transport system. After that they fired at my cousin," said
Ghulam Rasool Tantray, cousin of the slain.
Bashir Tantray had migrated from his village,
years back after he received threats from militant groups. He was staying
in Sonawar but he returned to his village on Monday to visit his ailing father.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, north
Kashmir range, Mohammad Subhan Lone said they had received reports that Bashir
had converted to Christianity in 1995 or 1996. "As far as the motive
is concerned, it is being investigated," he said. Lone said Bashir was
buried in his village with Islamic rites. "People offered Nimaz Jinaza.
There was no problem," he said.
This is the first time that a Christian convert
has been killed in Kashmir, though there have been attacks on Christian missionary
schools in the past. Militants had attacked a Christian missionary school
with grenades at Pulwama a few years ago.
Militants triggered a car bomb explosion outside
the Burn Hall School in July last year. It was followed by a grenade attack
outside the Biscoe School at Lal Chowk in which two women died and several
students suffered injuries.
