BJP condemns J&K targeted killings; demands measures for safety of non-local labourers

In a major development in connection with the targeted killings of civilians in Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Territory's BJP unit on Tuesday said that the administration must take concrete steps to ensure the safety of migrant labourers and vendors. A total of 11 civilians have been killed by various Pakistan-backed terrorist organisations over several weeks. 

While speaking to the media, Jammu and Kashmir BJP spokesperson and former legislator Girdhari Lal Raina said, "We ask the Union Territory administration to take visibly concrete steps to ensure the safety of soft targets in Kashmir, including poor labourers and street vendors, from other states."

He added, "We are not satisfied with the security measures, amidst continuing targeting of hapless workers, who are fleeing to protect their lives and honour."

The BJP spokesperson further said that these vulnerable labourers and workers leaving Kashmir in "pain and helplessness" is not good as it will have adverse effects on the economy in the long term. 

Targeted civilian killings in Jammu & Kashmir 

Over the past few weeks, there have been several terrorist attacks in which a number of civilians have lost their lives, and this has created a lot of fear in the Valley. Recently, two labourers from Bihar named Raja Reshi Dev and Yoginder Reshi Dev were shot dead in Kulgam on Saturday. Earlier, a hawker from Bihar named Arbind Kumar Sah and a carpenter from Uttar Pradesh named Sagir Ahmad were also killed. Of the 11 people killed, five were non-locals while the remaining were Kashmiri residents. The targeted killings started with the gunning down of Makhan Lal Bindroo, a prominent member of the Kashmiri Pandit community and the owner of a pharmacy in Srinagar. Later, two teachers - Deepak Chand and Supinder Kaur - and a street food vendor Virender Paswan were killed by terrorists.

In all instances, terrorists have checked the Aadhaar cards of their victims and gunned them down if found to be non-locals or non-Muslims. In response, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has conducted raids at several locations in the Kashmir Valley and other major cities against terrorist organisations such as The Resistance Front (TRF), Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen. The NIA will take over the probe into four cases, including the killing of ML Bindroo, a Kashmiri Pandit and pharmacist.

(With Agency Inputs)

Image: PTI