Srinagar: A group of people, including social activists, staged a protest outside the Hurriyat Conference office here on Monday against the killing of Kashmiri Pandit farmer Puran Krishan Bhat by terrorists last week, officials said.
Chanting slogans “Baharat Mata Ki Jai”, “Jis Kashmir Ko Khoon Se Seencha Who Kashmir Hamara Hai”, “Insaniyat Ka Qatl-e-aam Band Karo”, a group of protesters held a protest in front of the office of the Mirwaiz-led Hurriyat at Rajbagh against killing of a Kashmiri Pandit in Shopian district Saturday last.
Holding the Hurriyat responsible for the bloodshed in Valley, the protesters brought down the signboard of the separatist amalgam and daubed “India” on the main gate of the building housing the Hurriyat office.
The gate was locked.
The protesters included social activists, municipal corporators and Kashmiri Pandits.
Protesters demanded immediate end of civilian killings in the Valley and appealed to the administration to identify the murderers of Puran Kishan Bhat, a minority community member, who is the last victim of target killings in Kashmir.
They also appealed to the Lieutenant Governor to ensure foolproof security for the Kashmiri migrant Pandits who either live or work in the Valley. Protesters said the killing of Bhat has fuelled a fresh wave of fear among the members of the minority community.
Nana-ji, a Kashmiri Pandit said the aim of holding the protest was to convey a strong message to the LG administration vis-à-vis safety and security of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley. He demanded that those involved in the killing of Bhat be immediately identified and brought to book.
“We have assembled here to protest the killing of our community members by militants in Shopian last week. We don’t feel safe here and want the administration to ensure foolproof security for us so that such incidents are prevented,” he added.
Anita Chandpuri, a protester, said that the government should take strong note of the killing of minority community members at the hands of gunmen in Kashmir. She said the government had in the past assured that foolproof security arrangements will be made for them; however nothing of the sort was implemented on the ground.
One of the protestors said the Hurriyat office will be closed down soon and an orphanage will be run from the building.
Another protestor, a Kashmiri Pandit, said the people of Kashmir have realised that they want peace and not bloodshed.
Bhat was gunned down by terrorists on Saturday outside his ancestral house in the Chowdhary Gund area of south Kashmir’ Shopian district, where he had gone to look after his orchards. Bhat was cremated in Jammu on Sunday.
Candlelight marches were held on Sunday evening across the valley against the killing.
