‘Shujaat Bukhari was for lasting peace in Kashmir’

Tribune News Service

Advertisement

Srinagar, June 14

On the first death anniversary of senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari, assassinated this day last year, it was strongly felt that the authorities had failed to identify his killers and find their motive behind the killing.

Views on the life and death of Shujaat Bukhari, Editor of Srinagar-based English daily, Rising Kashmir, who was shot dead outside his office on June 14 last year, were expressed on the occasion of the commemoration day function held here today.

The event, organised by Kashmir Media House, publishers of the English daily and its sister publications, was held at the Tagore hall in the city. Senior journalist Siddharth Varadarajan was the chief guest, while Saeed Naqvi, was the guest of honour on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Siddharth Varadarajan said while broad facts of Shujaat’s killing were known, “the authorities were not in a position to inform us about who were the assassins and what was the motive behind his killing”. This, he said, was unlike in the case of Gauri Lankesh, an Editor from Bengaluru, who was killed on September 5, 2017, in whose case the police investigated and identified the killers within a year.

Shujaat was also a great believer in the necessity and possibility of peace and used his experience as a journalist to contribute in some way for just and honourable and lasting peace in the valley, Varadarajan said.

Varadarajan and Saeed Naqvi recalled their association with Bukhari as a journalist, who was not only known in Kashmir but also across the country and abroad.

The family members of Shujaat, including his father, Prof Rafiuddin Bukhari, Basharat Bukhari, Shujaat’s wife, Dr Tehmeena and son, Tamheed and the staff of Kashmir Media House were among those present on the occasion among a gathering of journalists, writers and prominent citizens.

Meanwhile, A group of seven to 10 journalists protested outside the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar, demanding stern action against the culprits involved in killing Bukhari. Later, they were taken into preventive custody by the police.