Jammu: Two personal security officials of the senior BJP leader, who was killed by unidentified, were detained in Kishtwar district and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Jammu and Kashmir government Friday to probe the incident, officials said.
BJP state secretary Anil Parihar, 52, and his brother, Ajeet Parihar, 55, were killed on Thursday night when they were returning home after closing their stationary shop located outside old DC office complex, officials said.
“The SIT has been constituted by police to probe the killings. It is headed by Assistant Superintendent of Police Prabeet Singh,” Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Angrez Singh Rana told PTI.
They will probe all the aspects of killing and find who are involved in it, he said.
Police have detained two personal security officials (PSOs) — Om Prakash and Sahil Kumar — who are being questioned, Senior Superintendent of Police Kishtwar Rajinder Gupta said.
Anil Parihar had been given these two PSOs for his security, but at the time of the attack they were not accompanying the leader, he said.
Police swung into action and detained them from their houses and they are being interrogated, he said.
If the PSOs would have been with him, tragedy could have been averted, police said.
“We urge all the political leaders and protected persons to keep their PSOs with them and do not allow them leave them unguarded,” the DC said.
Authorities will be issuing an advisory asking protected persons in Jammu and Kashmir to not move anywhere without their PSOs.
Amid shutdown in some places, massive protests rocked Jammu division Friday against the killings of the senior BJP leader and his brother in the militant attack.
Rana added that no untoward incidents was reported.
Following the incident, people had staged angry protests in the communally-sensitive town and manhandled senior police officials.
Meanwhile, Army staged a flag march in Kishtwar town where curfew was imposed after a senior BJP leader and his brother were killed by suspected terrorists Thursday night, officials said Friday.
District Magistrate Kishtwar Angrez Singh Rana told PTI the situation was tense but under control.
“The Army staged a flag march in Kishtwar town in order to maintain law and order,” Rana said.
SSP Kishtwar Rajinder Gupta said a hunt was launched to track down those involved in the case.
The district magistrate had requested the Army in the town and its adjoining areas to control the internal security situation that arose due to the killings.
He took the decision as he apprehended that violence might erupt and result in law and order problem, endangering the life and property of citizens of Kishtwar town.
As the news spread locals rushed to hospital and the brothers’ house, where they held protests against the alleged failure of the administration and the police.
Angry people manhandled policemen, including the SSP, after arguing with them. They also clashed with the police and forced them to leave the hospital.
The angry mob raised anti-Pakistan slogans demanding arrest of those involved in the killings. The protestors later also took to streets and held a protest near the Kishtwar Police Station.
Anil Parihar was active in politics for over 25 years and had unsuccessfully contested the 2008 Assembly elections on a Jammu and Kashmir National Panther Party (JKNPP) ticket.
Ajeet Parihar was an employee of the State Forest Corporation (SFC).
Protests rocked Jammu division Friday against the killings of senior BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother in a terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district.
Protests were reported in Jammu, Reasi, Udhampur, Ramban, Kathua, Bhaderwah and Samba areas of the region.
In Jammu city, BJP and Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha (BJYM) workers thronged various roads in Kachichawani, Trikuta Nagar, Rehari and Bohri areas and blocked traffic for brief periods.
They set ablaze tyres and raised anti-Pakistan slogans demanding elimination of the terrorists involved in the killings.
Protests were also reported in Bhaderwah, Udhampur, Reasi, Katra, Chenani, Samba, Kathua, Akhnoor, R S Pura and Basholi areas.
There was a shutdown in old Jammu city and various other places in the region.
“The protests were held at several places in the region, but they were peaceful. There was no untoward incident reported from anywhere,” a police offical said.
