Villagers found Ummer Faiyaz’s body early yesterday, a day after he was snatched by unidentified men at his cousin’s wedding in Shopian district.
“Some unidentified terrorists yesterday abducted and then killed a young unarmed army officer,” an army statement said.
The officer from Rajputana Rifles had joined the army only in December last year.
“This marks a watershed moment in the Kashmir Valley and people of Kashmir will decisively turn the tide against terrorism,” said Lt Gen Abhay Krishna, Colonel of Rajputana Rifles and General Officer Commanding in Chief of the South Western Command.
In a condolence message, he said the army fraternity stood by the grieving family.
“I assure the family that the perpetrators of this heinous crime and dastardly act will not be spared.”
About two dozen demonstrators threw stones in an attempt to disrupt the funeral procession of the officer when his body was being laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard with full military honours, police said.
The protesters were chased away by police.
Defence Minister Arun Jaitley called it a dastardly act of cowardice by terrorists.
“We share the grief of the family and stand in solidarity. (The officer) will continue to inspire the youth from the Kashmir Valley,” he said.
“His sacrifice reiterates the nation’s commitment to eliminate terrorism from the valley.”
Despite seemingly unending militancy in Kashmir, a large number of young Muslims from the valley continue to join the army and paramilitary forces.
Muslims are also in majority in the Jammu and Kashmir police.
Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned the killing.
“It was more painful to note that the officer was on leave and had come to attend the marriage of his cousin.”
Rights groups condemned the soldier’s killing, saying it went against international humanitarian law.
“Deliberate killing of captured soldiers constitutes human rights abuse. Perpetrators must be brought to justice,” Amnesty India posted on Twitter.
A hockey and volleyball player, Faiyaz had passed out from the National Defence Academy and was to go for the Young Officers’ Course in September.
He was posted with the Rajputana Rifles in the Akhnoor sector of Jammu and Kashmir.
An advisory was earlier issued by the Kashmir police asking its personnel not to visit ancestral homes, especially in south Kashmir areas.
The killing comes amid an upsurge in violence in the state, where rebels have repeatedly attacked government forces and banks in recent weeks.
Around 500,000 soldiers are deployed in Kashmir, making it one of the most heavily militarised places in the world.
Many local people deeply resent their presence.
Officials say the ranks of rebel groups have swelled since last July when the killing of rebel leader Burhan Wani by government forces sparked months of unrest across the state that left more than 100 people dead.
Last week the army launched a massive search operation in southern Kashmir to hunt for militants.
Meanwhile, the army said it foiled an attempt by militants to sneak into Kashmir on the Line of Control (LoC) in Baramulla district.
Defence Ministry spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said soldiers opened fire on a group of militants trying to enter Indian territory on Tuesday night.
The militants reportedly escaped back into Pakistan.
The army has launched a search operation in the area to ensure that none of the militants managed to get into Jammu and Kashmir.
