As the J&K police suspected the hand of militants in the killing of State BJP secretary Anil Parihar, 52, and his brother Ajeet, 55, in Kishtwar, top Muslim religious leaders of the region on Friday appealed for communal harmony. The leaders also gave a call for public participation in the last rites of the deceased “as a mark of protest.”
“The killings are aimed at creating communal strife,” said Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh.
He said it was the third attack on politicians in J&K in the past one month.
Earlier, two National Conference (NC) leaders and another of the PDP were killed in Srinagar.
Amid curfew, tension prevailed in the twin towns of Kishtwar and Bhaderwah for the second consecutive day on Friday in the Chenab Valley over the killing of the Parihars.
Preliminary investigation suggest at least two armed men came close to the victims and fired from pistols at them.
However, the security agencies have failed to identified any militant or outfit behind the killings.
The Army joined other paramilitary forces to patrol the streets in parts of the Chenab Valley “to maintain law and order.”
Muslim preachers in Kishtwar, Doda and Poonch condemned the killings.
Members from both the communities held a protest in Doda’s Thatri area. “I appeal to local Muslims to reach the cremation ground to join the last rites of the deceased,” said Farooq Kitchloo, head priest of the Jamia Masjid Kishtwar.
“The killings of unarmed people can’t be justified at any cost. Everyone should condemn this unequivocally. People must join hands to counter radical elements to establish an atmosphere of brotherhood,” said Sayeed Habib, religious preacher at the main mosque in Poonch.
CPI(M) legislator M.Y. Tarigami and state Congress president Ghulam Ahmed Mir termed the attack on the BJP leader “barbaric and unfortunate”.
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The police have constituted a special investigation team to trace the killers of the BJP leader and his brother. “It will be headed by Assistant Superintendent of Police Prabeet Singh. All aspects will be probed,” Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Angrez Singh Rana said.
Meanwhile, the police have also detained two personal security officials (PSOs), who were guarding the BJP leader. They had left for their homes when the attackers attacked the BJP leader around 8:30 p.m. in the town. Sources said all protected persons have been directed “not to move anywhere without their PSOs.”
