In yet another targeted killing, two laborers from Kannauj of UP, Ram Sagar and Monish Kumar, were killed in a grenade attack in the Harmen area of the Shopian district in Jammu & Kashmir. Kashmir Zone Police, which cordoned off the area, tweeted that “Imran Bashir of LeT was arrested” for lobbing the grenade. Additional General of Police, Jammu & Kashmir, said raids are underway.
In the recent months, several Kashmiri Pandits and non-local laborers have been attacked or killed. The motive behind these strikes is clear. Terrorists want to instill fear in the minority Hindu community in the valley and drive out migrants from the valley.
On Saturday, Puran Krishan Bhat belonging to the Kashmiri Pandit community was killed near his residence in the Chowdhary Gund area. Kashmiri pandit employees took to the streets in hundreds blocking the Jammu-Akhnoor road angst in protest.
Bhat, the 47-year-old lone breadwinner of his family, is a father of two children. The sight of his mourning children during his funeral is a tragedy that other children in the valley must not face.
Earlier, speaking at an event in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Home minister Amit Shah said, once the Election commission is ready with the newly updated voter list, polls will be held in the Union Territory. However, Kashmiri Pandits and migrants in J&K feel that the security environment in the valley has become increasingly unsafe for them, particularly after the abrogation of Article 370.
Image: PTI