NE NEWS SERVICE
SRINAGAR, SEP 23
General Officer Commanding of Army’s 15 Corps Lt General D P Pandey on Thursday led all ranks in laying wreaths over the mortal remains of rifleman Shakir Manzoor Wagay, whose decomposed body was found in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, a year after his abduction.
(4/4) #IndianArmy is in solidarity with bereaved family & condemns the heinous crime & ensure that sacrifice of braveheart will not go in vain & all means will be utilised to bring perpetrators of crime to justice
Indian Army salutes bravery of departed son & soldier of #India pic.twitter.com/KncwVHzUdc
— PRO Defence Gujarat (@DefencePRO_Guj) September 23, 2021
“Lt Gen Pandey and all ranks laid wreaths on the mortal remains of the braveheart, Rifleman Shakir Manzoor Wagay of 162 Infantry Battalion (Territorial Army) at Chinar Corps War Memorial,” a defence spokesman said here.
He said Wagay was on bona fide military duty at Balapur in Shopian on August 2, 2020, when he went missing.
“Security Forces had launched an extensive search at that time to locate him.
Wreath laying ceremony held to pay homage to Shakir Manzoor Wagay. Wagay was abducted and killed by unidentified militants on August 2, 2020. His body was recovered yesterday in a nearby village, Mohammadpora Kulgam. pic.twitter.com/u5sPul9IRv
— Junaid Dar (@Akhbarwoul) September 23, 2021
After a comprehensive search, his burnt vehicle was found at Rambhama, Kulgam. However, despite persistent efforts of the Security Forces, Rifleman Shakir Manzoor Wagay could not be traced,” he said.
Abducted & killed a year ago by terrorists,Martyr Shakir Manzoor Wagay laid to rest with full honour as his decomposed body found y'day in #Kulgam
The presence of entire village at his funeral sends a loud message to P@k that #KashmirRejectsTerrorism@kakar_harsha@amritabhinder pic.twitter.com/bshxKvX3ER
— Nighat Abbas (@Nighat_Abbass) September 23, 2021
Wagay’s father Manzoor Ahmed had anticipated that his son had been abducted by terrorists as some anti-national social media accounts had alleged at that time that the rifleman had been killed and that his body had been deliberately buried at an unidentified location, he said.
“According to the post-mortem report, the death of Late Rifleman Shakir Manzoor is attributable to grievous injuries. The injury marks on him indicate that Rifleman Shakir Manzoor was tortured and murdered in the most brutal and inhumane manner by the terrorists,” the spokesman said.
The rifleman Shakir Manzoor (26) had joined the Army in June 2016. He belonged to village Rishipura in Shopian district and is survived by his parents.
“The mortal remains of Rifleman Shakir Manzoor will be taken for last rites to his native place, where he would be laid to rest with full military honours. In this hour of grief, the Army stands in solidarity with the bereaved family and remains committed to their dignity and wellbeing,” the spokesman said, adding “all means will be utilised to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice”