Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested senior advocate and separatist leader Mian Qayoom in connection with the murder of advocate Babar Qadri. "The Police's State Investigation Agency (SIA) arrested him on Tuesday. This is an important breakthrough in the investigation of the high-profile assassination that occurred in September 2020," a senior police officer confirmed to ETV Bharat.
Further details will be shared soon, he added. Qayoom, who has served multiple terms as President of the High Court Bar Association in Kashmir, was previously jailed in Tihar prison under the Public Safety Act ahead of the abrogation of Article 370. He was detained from August 4, 2019, until his release in August 2020.
The murder of Babar Qadri, a renowned lawyer and social activist, sent shockwaves through the region. Qadri was killed at his residence in Srinagar on September 24, 2020, an incident that sparked widespread condemnation. He had claimed a threat to his life three days before his assassination and was known for his criticism of Qayoom.
In August 2021, a special police team filed charges against five suspects in connection with Qadri's murder. Later, security forces killed Abbas Shiekh, chief commander of The Resistance Front (TRF), and his deputy Saqib Manzoor, who police said was involved in Qadri’s assassination. On August 24, 2022, the Srinagar police raided the residences of three advocates, including Qayoom, as part of the investigation into Qadri’s killing.
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