Srinagar
After the hospital authorities declared the critically injured police officer Muhammad Imran Tak dead, the tributes started to pour in.
There were messages of condemnation and also acknowledging the bravery of the police force.
Later in the day, a wreath-laying event took place in the Police Control Room, Srinagar where the police top brass paid homage to Imran Tak, a resident of Basantgarh, Udhampur.
Those present included IGP Kashmir Munir Ahmad Khan, IGP Armed (Kashmir) S. Ahfadul Mujtaba, DIG CKR Ghulam Hassan Bhat, and a number of SSPs and various other commandants.
In Udhampur, his hometown, another wreath-laying ceremony was conducted at District Police Lines. The top functionaries were present there including Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, R&B minister Naeem Akhtar and their other Cabinet colleagues, besides Director General of Police SP Vaid.
“Imran was a brave and sincere cop who laid down his life for securing the lives of others,” the Deputy CM said, adding that the nation would always remain indebted to him for the supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty.
Later Tak, who was known by his nick name Sonu, was laid to rest with at his native village Basantagrh, 100 km away from Udhampur.
But what happened between Srinagar and Udhampur has evoked severe criticism from police personnel and netizens alike.
The body of Imran was boarded in an ambulance along with the mourners including his little daughter Alishba.
His relatives and batch mates were aghast when his body was boarded in an ambulance on Friday night.
One of his photographs along with his little daughter went viral with the following paragraphs.
“While politicians and bureaucrats use government funded air services for their official tours, Muhammad Imran Tak, the slain police officer who sacrificed his life in Zakura was boarded in an ambulance for his last journey towards his home town Udhampur.”
“The ambulance left Srinagar late in the evening, traversing the bumpy serpentine highway running along the mountains and hills of PIr-Panchal. His corps along with his little daughter Alishba reached Udhampur in darkest hours of night, when state was fast asleep. His village and family were all awake, left in deep state of pain and shock.”
“When so much money is consumed by State Government officials on air services, hiring choppers, don’t you think the he deserved to be air lifted for his last journey from Srinagar to his home? Even Army and Para-military personnel are air lifted as a mark of respect. He deserved a smooth journey and a decent burial after all he made supreme sacrifice of his life, joys, peace and strength that his family ever had.”
Terming the incident as unfortunate, there was tweet by Smita “Extremely unfortunate. Were not the senior district cops aware about the travel arrangements for mortal remains of the martyr & the relatives/colleagues accompanying”
Another person tweeted, “we cannot afford a rebellion in the force.”
A batch mate of Imran told Kashmir Life that “we cannot be pawns of our top officers and politicians. We too deserve respect, at least after death.”
