Wife of NIA officer, who was shot dead in UP, succumbs to injuries

New Delhi: Farzana Khatoon, wife of NIA officer Tanzil Ahmad who was shot dead in an April 3 attack which also left her grievously injured, succumbed on Wednesday morning.

She was battling for her life at AIIMS trauma centre after suffering bullet wounds, NIA said in a statement, adding that she succumbed to her injuries at 10.45 am.

Farzana was returning from a family function along with her husband and children when they were attacked. NIA

Inspector Tanzil Ahmed, who was on the team probing Pathankot terror attack, was killed while she was seriously injured in the firing by motorcycle-borne assailants.

"Her last rites will take place at Jamia Milia University Campus burial ground at 6.30 PM," it said.

In the "planned attack", the killers had pumped 24 bullets into 45-year-old Ahmad and four into his wife Farzana, as their daughter, 14, and son, 12, watched the gruesome incident from the back seat of the Wagon-R car they were travelling in. The children had escaped the attack.

Initially, the NIA had said Farzana was "out of danger. There is no damage to her vital organs".

Ahmad, who has been with the NIA ever since the organisation was formed in February 2009, had been investigating many cases especially related to banned Indian Mujahideen terror outfit. His superiors termed him as a thorough professional in intelligence gathering as well as investigation.

Uttar Pradesh Police has arrested two alleged killers including a relative of Ahmad even as the alleged mastermind is still absconding. Police has claimed that domestic dispute was the motive behind the crime.

Among the two arrested is nephew of Ahmed's brother-in-law Rehan. The alleged mastermind, identified as Muneer, is still at large, police had said.

According to the police, the motorcycle-borne accused followed Ahmad who was returning home in Sahaspur village of Bijnor district with his family after attending his niece's wedding in another village in the same district on the intervening night of April 2 and 3.

The attackers overtook his vehicle at Sahaspur village and Muneer allegedly fired at Ahmed and his wife. Along with Rehan, his accomplice Zainul was also arrested.