Jammu: Government employee Rahul Bhat, who was shot dead by terrorists inside his office in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, was cremated on Friday amid a protest by members of the Kashmiri Pandit community here.
Rahul Bhat was gunned down by terrorists inside the Tehsil office in Chadoora town on Thursday. He had got the job of a clerk under the special employment package for migrants in 2010-11.
As the mortal remains of Rahul Bhat reached his home in Durga Nagar area of Jammu on Friday morning, his relatives wept inconsolably.
Rahul Bhat’s wife and daughter, who were putting up with him at Sheikhpora migrant colony in Budgam, accompanied the body as it arrived here from Kashmir.
His brother Sunny lit the pyre at the Buntalab cremation ground as chants of “long live Rahul Bhat” rented the air.
Meanwhile, hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits gathered at Bhat’s house in Jammu for the last rites.
The community members, including Rahul Bhat’s family, accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of making young Kashmiri Hindus “cannon fodder” in the name of rehabilitation of the community.
They also said the incident has shattered their dream of resettling permanently in the valley.
“You (BJP) have formulated a plan to get young Kashmiri Pandits killed in the name of giving them jobs and rehabilitating them,” Soon Nath Bhat, a relative of Rahul Bhat said.
Such people are “sitting ducks” for terrorists who are using them for “target practice”, he added.
Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina and other party leaders, who attended the funeral, had to face the ire of the community members as they raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and the saffron party.
The protesters also blocked a stretch of road.
