[5][7][2] According to Munir Khan, IGP of Kashmir Range, Pandith was spotted by four miscreants when he came out of the mosque after checking deployment for access control duties.

[3] A member of the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist group, Sajid Ahmad Gilkar had played a key role in the lynching according to the state police.

[8] According to Shesh Paul Vaid, he had been sent to the mosque to ensure the protection of people offering prayers and sent his security detail home when worshippers singled him out and began closing in.

Eyewitnesses however gave a different explanation stating that he was spotted with at least one other man, and one of them was taking photographs, after which a group of youngsters confronted them and asked them about their identity papers.

[5] He was attacked, stripped naked, hit with stones, batons, iron rods, sharp weapons and logs and his body was recovered in a mutilated state.

Nowhatta Police Station, under whose jurisdiction lynching took place immediately registered a case vide FIR No 51/2017 Under Section 302 (murder).

Vaid also ordered transfer of Khaliq Bhat, the then Superintendent of Police North Srinagar under whose jurisdiction remained the area where the lynching took place.

[25] DIG, M. Dinakaran informed that Hizbul terrorist Sajid Ahmad Gilkar, who played a key part in the mob killing of Pandith, was shot dead on morning of 12 July 2017 by the security forces in a shootout.

[8] On 11 July 2017 evening, Indian security forces were fired up on during a Cordon and search operation launched after receiving specific inputs about the presence of militants.

[26] Security forces, including J&K Police and Central Paramilitary forces of India, jointly intensified the cordon and search grid-based "Operation Hunt Down" to track and kill the LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists placed on the identified "hit list", and had already killed 102 terrorists from 1 January to 14 July 2017, including the extermination of terrorists responsible for the killing of seven J&K Police cops and the lynching of DSP Ayub Pandith, while a colossal hunt was on for mastermind of 2017 Amarnath Yatra attack, LeT commander Abu Ismail.

[5][20][6] Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti criticized the lynching, terming it as shameful while paying tribute to Pandith.

[30] National Conference's working president Omar Abdullah called the lynching as "height of barbarism", expressing solidarity with Pandith's family and colleagues while demanding that the culprits be brought to book and given the sternest possible punishment.

[32] Tariq Ahmad, a Jammu and Kashmir police officer, stated that it had become dangerous for him to go outside and pray in the neighbourhood mosque, while some of the locals had become hostile to Kashmiri policemen.