A few days before his assassination on 21 May 1990, Mirwaiz Moluvi Mohammad Farooq, one of the most significant clerics in Srinagar, gave a respected scholar-activist a call. Farooq wanted the scholar to use his good offices to prevail on the authorities to arrest him as he feared for his life. Farooq’s fears were based on the environment of fear psychosis prevailing in the Kashmir valley as militants had carried out numerous targeted assassinations. There was an administrative and security collapse.
Historically, the Mirwaiz in Kashmir acquired a political role in the second quarter of the 20th century. It was not a surprise that Mirwaiz Farooq was one of the targets of the militants. He was critical of some of the acts of militants, including the kidnapping of Rubiya Sayeed, daughter of the then Indian Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, on 8 December 1989 and reportedly called the act un-Islamic. The scholar-activist whom Farooq had approached was widely respected by all political parties for his knowledge of Jammu and Kashmir. He reached out to many in the power structure, including the Jammu and Kashmir governor, and alerted them that Mirwaiz Farooq was facing danger.
The scholar-activist was told Farooq should ask for security, which he would be granted immediately. He reminded the authorities of the compulsions of a Mirwaiz’s standing.
— source newsclick.in | Luv Puri | 03 Apr 2022