By IANS,
Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah early Saturday visited the family of Islamic cleric Maulana Showkat Ahmad Shah who was killed in an explosion a day earlier.
Abdullah visited the Lal Bazar residence of the religious leader and expressed his condolences to the bereaved family.
The chief minister met Maulana Riyaz Ahmad Shah and Maulana Intiyaz Ahamd Shah, brothers of the slain leader.
He also consoled Shoaib Ahmad, the 15-year old son of the deceased.
Omar said the void created by Shah’s murder would be very difficult to fill and his death was a great loss to the Kashmiri society.
Elaborate security arrangements were made around the densely populated Lal Bazar locality ahead of the chief minister’s visit.
He was accompanied by Tourism Minister Nasir Sogami and Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda.
Maulana Showkat Ahmad Shah was killed in a powerful blast outside a mosque here just before the Friday prayers.