Deputy Superintendent of Jammu & Kashmir Police, Humayun Bhat, met a tragic end in a terrorist encounter within the Gadole forests situated in the Kokernag area of Anantnag. In the moments leading up to his untimely demise, DSP Humayun Bhat made a heartfelt attempt to connect with his family, yearning to catch a glimpse of his one-month-old infant.
In his desperate final moments, Humayun Bhat initiated a video call to his wife, Fatima, during which he exuded little hope for his survival. The senior J&K police officer had already sustained multiple bullet injuries, and the evidence of his ordeal was visible through profuse bleeding caused by the bullets fired by Pakistan-backed terrorists affiliated with the TRF, an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
This heart-wrenching episode unfolded a mere two weeks before Humayun Bhat's wedding anniversary. During the emotionally charged video call, Bhat conveyed his grim prognosis to his wife, expressing doubts about his chances of survival.
With immense fortitude, Humayun Bhat told Fatima, "I may not survive. If I succumb to my injuries, please take care of our son."
Shortly before this fateful video call, he had also contacted his father, Retired IG Ghulam Hassan Bhat, to inform him of his injuries. However, during this conversation, he tried to maintain a facade of composure, reassuring his father that he was "okay."
DSP Humayun Bhat was one of three officers who had been at the forefront of anti-terror operations, demonstrating unwavering courage and determination.
Tragically, on that ill-fated day, an Army Colonel leading a battalion and a Major lost their lives during a firefight with terrorists in Kokernag, Anantnag district. The terrorist organization known as The Resistance Front has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Army officials reported that "Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish, and Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Humayun Bhat, were critically injured during the gunfight and later succumbed to their injuries."
The Director-General of J&K Police, Dilbag Singh, confirmed that he had spoken to Humayun Bhat's father shortly after his son had been injured during the intense gunfight. He recounted, "I spoke to his father from the site of the encounter, informing him that our rescue teams had reached the spot and we were in the process of retrieving him. I showed him through a video call the efforts being made."
Tragically, despite the heroic efforts of the mountain rescue team and local villagers, DSP Humayun Bhat succumbed to his injuries due to severe bleeding before they could reach him.
In a poignant ceremony, DSP Humayun Bhat was laid to rest on Wednesday evening in his hometown of Humhama in Budgam. The turnout of J&K residents was overwhelming, and sentiments against Pakistan began to reverberate through the Valley.
As Humayun Bhat's father paid his final respects to his son, his dignified composure and self-restraint stood as a testament to his unwavering strength, even in the face of this heartbreaking loss. The brave officer was interred at his residence in Budgam.
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