Members of the Kashmiri Pandit community in Jammu and Kashmir took to streets on Friday to protest against the killing of Rahul Bhat, a Kashmiri Pandit who was shot dead by terrorists in the Union territory’s Budgam district a day ago. “The Lieutenant Governor’s administration should provide us security else we shall resort to mass resignation from our respective posts,” Amit, a protestor in Sheikhpora, told news agency
“We ask the government to relocate us to places where we feel rehabilitated,” said Sandeep Bhat, a member of the Kashmiri Pandit Employees Association, in Anantnag.
Some demonstrators raised slogans against Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Budgam DC, and other officials. Also, a large crowd attended the last rites of Rahul Bhat, in Bantalab.
Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti alleged she was put under house arrest before her visit to Budgam, where, she said, she wanted to go to express solidarity with the protesting Kashmiri Pandits.
“Wanted to visit Budgam to express my solidarity with Kashmiri Pandits protesting against GOIs failure to protect them. Have been put under house arrest as the fact the Kashmiri muslims & pandits empathise with each other’s pain doesn’t fit into their vicious communal narrative,” she said in a tweet.
Rahul Bhat, 45, who was employed as a government clerk, was attacked inside his office in Chadoora in Budgam. A little-known outfit, which calls itself the ‘Kashmir Tigers,’ has claimed the responsibility for Thursday’s attack, news agency reported.
On Friday, too, a constable of the Jammu and Kashmir Police was shot dead by a terrorist in Pulwama.