Man gets life term for 2020 murder inside Srinagar mosque
08/08/2026
SRINAGAR, Aug 7: A court in Srinagar has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the 2020 murder of Abdul Gani Dar, a former chief of the banned Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen (TeM), who was found dead inside a mosque in the Gawkadal area of the city.
The court convicted Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Dar, a resident of Bichwara, Dalgate, Srinagar, under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code for the murder of Abdul Gani Dar.
After hearing arguments on the quantum of sentence, the court observed that although the offence was grave and heinous, it did not fall within the category of the "rarest of rare" cases warranting the death penalty.
The convict was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for life and fined Rs. 50,000. The court directed that the fine, if realised, be paid to the legal heirs of the deceased as compensation. It also granted the convict the benefit of set-off for the period already spent in judicial custody.
While awarding the sentence, the court took serious note of the fact that the murder was committed inside a mosque, observing that violence in a place of worship undermines public peace, communal harmony and the sanctity of religious institutions.
Considering the hardship faced by the victim's family, particularly his dependent children, the court directed payment of Rs. 7 lakh as victim compensation under the Jammu and Kashmir Victim Compensation Scheme, 2019, to be released through the Jammu and Kashmir Legal Services Authority within the stipulated period.
The court observed that the conviction was based on a thorough investigation conducted by the Srinagar Police and effective prosecution during the trial.
Abdul Gani Dar was found murdered inside a mosque in Gawkadal on February 13, 2020. Police later arrested Ghulam Mohi-ud-Din Dar, who was reportedly a childhood friend of the deceased. Both were stated to have been associated with the banned Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen outfit.
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