‘Guests of India’: J&K CM Omar Abdullah condemns sinking of Iranian vessel after Milan naval exercise

While J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed concerns over the recent attack on an Iranian warship stating that the vessel and its crew were guests of India who had come for an exercise, his father and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah criticised the US-Israel strikes on Iran.

Speaking to mediapersons in Jammu, Omar said, “It is unfortunate that an attack was carried out on the Iranian warship. They were our guests and had come here for a naval exercise. While returning, it was attacked. In some way, our country is also being dragged into this situation. What will happen in the future is beyond my jurisdiction.”

The comments came after many members of the crew of the Iranian vessel were killed in a strike after a US submarine torpedoed and sank it in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka on Wednesday. The vessel was returning from the Milan naval exercise hosted by India. Omar said the J&K Government had been coordinating with the Centre to ensure safety of residents of the UT in Iran. He said the government was working to formulate a programme to bring them home safely. He also appealed for calm amid the evolving situation.

Meanwhile, Farooq criticized the US-Israel attack on Iran stating that no country has the right to impose its control over another nation. The NC chief said it was the responsibility of the Government of India to present its position on the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel.

“Iran is an independent country. America attacked it, which is wrong. No country has the right to impose its control over another nation. They have done it with Venezuela too. It is unfortunate,” he told the media.

Normalcy returns to Valley

Though restrictions remained for the fourth consecutive day in some parts of Kashmir, normalcy is gradually returning to the Valley, especially Srinagar, which saw massive stone pelting at some places over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the US-Israeli airstrikes.

On Thursday, traffic movement was witnessed, while business establishments were also open in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley. The clock tower in Lal Chowk, continues to remain sealed with heavy deployment of security personnel in the area. Heavy deployment of the police and central armed police force continued in several parts of the Valley.

The police sources, however, said restrictions were eased out on Thursday. “Today, markets and business establishments opened and traffic was also normal,” said a police official.

Kashmir witnessed massive protests with thousands of protesters — most of them from the Shia community — taking to the streets in parts of Jammu and Kashmir after Khamenei’s death.

Even as the intensity of protests have come down since then, dozens of people, including policemen, have sustained injuries in the clashes so far. Over 20 people were injured after clashes that took place in some Shia-dominated areas in Bandipora’s Sumbal in north Kashmir.