Day after the killing of at least two suspected militants of Hizbul Mujahideen’s rebel group, separatists called for a shutdown as protests continued in north Kashmir on Tuesday. Militants’ umbrella group, United Jehad Council (UJC), described the incident as “target killings”.
Despite the fact that the police dropped broad hints at internal rivalry between Hizb and rebel faction Lashkar-e-Islami, headed by Qayoom Najar, behind the deaths, separatists decided to condemn the killings.
Pertinently, the newly-formed Lashkar-e-Islami, believed to be behind the wave of attacks on mobile towers earlier this year, was critical of separatists “soft” policy too.
Syed Ali Geelani, who heads a faction of the Hurriyat, described the murder as “brutal and barbaric”. “After seeing the circumstances and ways of the killing, we cannot rule out the hands of the government forces. The police statement where it tried to link this incident to the rivalries within the Mujahideens is based on presumption,” said Mr. Geelani.
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“There can be small differences and arguments between the muhajideens(militants) but they cannot be so brutal. These types of actions are the trademark of the forces,” said Mr. Geelani, while calling for a complete shutdown on Wednesday.
Hurriyat leaders also participated in the funeral prayers of slain youths Amir Qadir Reshi and Ashiq Hussain Wani in north Kashmir.
Three bodies of the militants were discovered from an orchard in north Kashmir’s Pattan area, 30 km away from Srinagar, on Monday.
Separatist JKLF chief Yasin Malik, who issued a shutdown call too, was detained today when he was on the way to meet the family members of the deceased. “It's cold-blooded murder," he alleged. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, chairman of another group of Hurriyat, and other smaller separatists groups also condemned the attack.
In an emailed statement to The Hindu , Pakistan-occupied Kashmir based UJC spokesman Sheikh Jameel described the incident as “target killings”. “Such acts will have a negative impact for India,” warned Mr. Jameel.
Militant outfit Hizb has reportedly distanced itself from the killings and accused the police’s special operations group for the “custodial killing”.
Meanwhile, the Pattan town, where the bodies were recovered, observed a shutdown today. Protesters hurled stones at security forces too.
The growing anger over the killings was further fuelled on Tuesday with one more body spotted in Baramulla district’s Tangmarg area. In his thirties, the body of Manzoor Ahmad Reshi was found near Government Middle School Gonipori, sparking fresh protests. There is no police version on the fresh recovery of the body.
