MUZAFFARABAD: An educator originally hailing from Indian-occupied Kashmir, succumbed to his critical wounds on Friday, nearly 20 hours after he was shot outside his school in the AJK capital, hospital and family sources said.

Arjumand Gulzar Dar, also known as Hamzah Burhan, was the principal and managing director of a private school operating from a rented building along Muzaffarabad’s Western Bypass, where he was attacked on Thursday.

The suspected attacker was arrested within half an hour from a nearby ravine by a police team. According to the FIR registered at Saddar Police Station, the suspect was booked under Sections 324, 337 and 109 of the Azad Penal Code, Section 6 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, and Section 15(2) of the Arms Act.

The FIR described the incident as a targeted killing, though no motive was disclosed.

Police sources said that owing to the sensitive nature of the case, senior authorities had handed over the investigation to the Counter- Terrorism Department (CTD).

Mr Dar remained on a ventilator at a local hospital before succumbing to his injuries at around 3:30am on Friday.

His body was taken by his in-laws — who also hail from occupied Kashmir — to their residence in Ra­­walpindi. Family sources said funeral prayers were offered at 11am on Friday and he was buried in a local graveyard.

In Muzaffarabad, separate funeral prayers in absentia were held at several mosques as well as at Burhan Wani Chowk near the press club, shortly after Friday prayers.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2026