Security Forces Granted Free Hand To Hunt Down Militants, Says J&K LG

Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor (LG) Manoj Sinha said on Sunday that security forces have been given full freedom to bring militant attackers in south Kashmir to justice. This came at a time when a lot of people were attending the funeral of Shopian’s late sarpanch Aijaz Ahmad Sheikh.

In the middle of election season, Kashmir was shaken by two separate strikes by militants on Saturday in Shopian and Pahalgam in south Kashmir. Sheikh, a BJP worker, was killed, and a couple from Jaipur was hurt.

Police said that militants shot the former sarpanch in Harpura village of Shopian. At Yannar, Anantnag, militants also shot and hurt a guy named Tabrez and a woman named Farah from Rajasthan. The man is said to be harsh.

Sinha spoke out against the attack and said that the J&K Police, Army, and other security forces would find the terrorists and anyone helping them.

“I am deeply shocked by the terrorist attack and the brutal killing of Sheikh.” “He was a great grassroots leader, and people will remember how he helped them without expecting anything in return,” he said in a statement.

The LG also said that the attack on tourists in Pahalgam was painful. He said, “I have already told the Administrative and Police officials to give the hurt couple the best care possible.”

“The government has told the J&K Police and other security forces to go after terrorists and people who work with them.” I have full faith in the bravery of our staff, and I know that the people who did this attack will be punished soon. These people who are helping terrorists and trying to stop J&K from growing will also be caught by our security forces, he said.

At the same time, a lot of people went to Sheikh’s funeral in his home town of Herpora, Shopian. A lot of people in the village cried and sobbed as the funeral parade went by.

Leaders in politics condemn attacks

People kept speaking out against the attacks, and some government leaders even questioned why they happened at that time. People from the BJP staged a protest at the party headquarters in Srinagar against the attacks, especially the killing of Sheikh.

Aijaz Hussain, the leader of the BJP, spoke out against the killings and asked the government to protect the party’s weak workers. Putting the blame on Pakistan, he said that the attack was meant to stop the election process here.

“You know how well the first round of voting went in Srinagar, and tomorrow there are more elections. I think this is all part of a plan by Pakistan to mess up the election process here.” We thought that more than 60–70% of people would vote tomorrow in Baramulla. I think this is meant to stop that from happening, he said, adding that the attack on tourists was done by Pakistan because it doesn’t want peace and progress here.

Omar Abdullah, vice president of the National Conference (NC), said, “I’m very sorry to hear about the terrorist attacks in South Kashmir that killed two tourists and a BJP worker.” I strongly condemn these acts that killed people. I am sorry for the loss of Aijaz Ahmed. I pray that Allah gives him a place in Jannat. I also pray that Tabrez and Farah, who are from Jaipur in Rajasthan, get better completely.

Earlier, NC president Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah said that these kinds of violent acts still make it very hard to have long-term peace in J&K.

The head of the CPIM, M. Y. Tarigami, strongly condemned the attacks by militants in Shopian and Anantnag. He said, “Violence is not a solution; it only makes things worse and causes more suffering.”

Mehbooba Mufti, president of the PDP, said she was against the killings but wondered why they happened at that time. “It’s sad that these attacks happened at the same time as the South election was pushed back for no reason.” Especially when you think about the usual claims made by the GOI, she said.

Iltija Mufti, her daughter and a media adviser, said that the high number of votes in Srinagar scared the central government. “They are doing everything they can to make the people of Anantnag afraid.” “On the one hand, they say that everything is normal here and that the militant is dead. So why is there this incident now?” she asked.

“They want to sway the polls and only want democracy when it will help their own people.” “They try to rig elections when the masses don’t accept their people,” she said.

The attacks were also condemned by Ghulam Nabi Azad, head of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP).

“We spoke out against the attacks by militants.” Militancy has cost a lot of lives and even the economy over the past 35 years. Any kind of militant action is bad for Kashmir’s growth, especially when things were getting better and tourists were coming. That’s why we say these things are wrong, he said.

“Pakistan does like it when there is peace here or when tourists come here.” “I told them to look at their own country and make sure their people have the basic things they need,” he said.

Ruhuallah Mehdi, a senior NC leader and the party’s candidate from the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, asked why security in Kashmir got worse after the Union home minister’s visit.

“Killing the former sarpanch of the BJP is a very bad thing to do.” No one should be killed because of their political views. People shouldn’t be able to do these things. I’d also like to ask a question that really worries me. What was the Home Minister’s reason for coming over a few days ago? The security should get better after HM’s stay. “Why did things get worse after he left?” he asked.