Kupwara, Nov 15: Grief spread through this small Kupwara village on Saturday as residents gathered outside their homes and along the narrow lanes to mourn State Investigation Agency (SIA) Inspector of J&K Police, Asrar Ahmad, who was among nine people killed in the accidental blast at Nowgam Police Station on Friday night.

Muqam-e-Shahwali, a village in Kupwara located about 82 km from Srinagar and 7 km from the district headquarters, came to a standstill on Saturday as hundreds assembled for Inspector Asrar Ahmad’s last rites.

Many struggled to absorb the sudden loss of a man widely regarded as one of the most respected figures in the area.

People moved in groups, speaking in hushed voices, stopping occasionally to wipe their eyes. “There is a strange stillness here,” said Shabir Ahma

See Full Page