Protests across J&K over killing of Kashmiri Pandit govt staffer

Samaan Lateef & Arjun

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Srinagar/Jammu, May 13

The killing of a Kashmiri Pandit government employee inside the secured revenue office at Chadoora in Budgam in broad daylight triggered protests across J&K even as the police claimed that it had gunned down two Pakistani terrorists, who killed Rahul Bhat, in Bandipora.

“Rahul greeted us and told us we will meet again in the evening. He boarded his vehicle and left for the office,” Ashwini Sadhu, the next-door neighbour of Bhat, told The Tribune. “I am terrified by his killing. It can happen to anyone of us,” he said.

Sadhu was protesting overnight along with dozens of other Kashmiri Pandits on the Srinagar-Budgam highway. Sadhu said they are collecting resignation letters from migrant employees to be submitted to the government if they were not transferred to Jammu or other parts of India. “It is clear the J&K administration is lying about the situation in Kashmir. It is not safe for anyone here,” said Vikas Hangloo, another protesting Pandit.

Meanwhile, policemen resorted to baton charge and fired tear gas shells to disperse the protesters to prevent them from marching toward the Srinagar airport. All the roads connecting Budgam with Srinagar were barricaded with concertina wires. “Given the topography of the area and huge rush on the airport road, there were inputs that terrorists may take advantage of the same and may attack the protesters in order to create communal tension,” the police said in a statement.

Protests were held in other parts of the Valley as well as Jammu. Former CM Mehbooba Mufti, who wanted to visit Pandits, was not allowed as she faced “house arrest”.

The administration has decided to provide job to Rahul Bhat’s wife in Jammu and financial assistance to the family. A decision has been taken to constitute a special investigation team to probe all the aspects of the despicable militant attack. The SHO of the concerned police station has also been attached.

In Durga Nagar colony of Jammu, Rahul Bhat’s body was cremated amid sloganeering by a huge gathering. BJP’s J&K chief Ravinder Raina and former Deputy CM Kavinder Gupta too faced the anger of the gathering at the funeral. “The government has failed to protect Pandits in the Valley. Till when we will give sacrifices?” asked a relative of Rahul to Ravinder Raina.

Bita Bhat, father of the deceased, said his son had applied for transfer from Chadoora. “The government has miserably failed to act against the terrorists,” he said while demanding an inquiry as to how the terrorists came to know about Rahul working in a government office.

Rahul’s wife Meenakshi Bhat was inconsolable. “I talked to him 10 minutes before the murder. I was told that he was shot in his shoulder by terrorists. I thought he will survive,” Meenakshi said.

Bhat’s killers, who were shot by security forces in Aragam area of Bandipora, had infiltrated from Pakistan recently, the police said. They had managed to escape from another encounter site in Baramulla on May 11 where a local terrorist was killed.

Slain ultras had escaped baramulla gunfight on May 11

• According to the police, the two Pakistani terrorists gunned down in Bandipora on Friday had escaped another encounter in Baramulla on May 11 when a local militant was shot dead by security personnel.
• A police spokesman said the slain terrorists were Faisal, alias Sikander, alias Mohsin, and Ukasha. Security men are searching for Rather, alias Osama, involved in terror attacks for two months.

Bhat’s wife to get job

• The J&K administration has decided to provide job to Meenakshi Bhat, widow of Rahul Bhat.
• The administration is also forming a special investigation team to probe the killing of Bhat.

Protesters lathicharged

Cops had to lathicharge and also fire tear gas shells at protesters in Srinagar.