Call for bandh in Kishtwar today
*LG, CM condemn killings
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 7: Two Village Defence Guards (VDGs) were kidnapped and martyred by the terrorists mercilessly in upper reaches of Munjla Dhar in Kuntwara area of Kishtwar district today.
However, there was no official statement by the police even though Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah condemned the gruesome killings of two VDGs.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
The deceased have been identified as Nazir Ahmed son of Mohammad Khalil and Kuldeep Kumar son of Amar Chand, both residents of Ohli, Kuntwara.
Reports said the VDG members had gone to a forest area to graze their cattle in Munjla Dhar in Kuntwara area of Kishtwar district today when they were reportedly intercepted and kidnapped by the terrorists.
“The VDG members were not carrying weapons with them,’’ the officials said. Both have been shot dead
Sources said some Over Ground Workers (OGWs) might have tipped off the terrorists that the shepherds are working as the VDG members and they kidnapped them when they entered the forest for grazing their cattle.
Kuldeep Kumar was not going to the forests for grazing for past about one week due to death of his father and resumed visit to the forests only today.
Police parties fanned out in the forests to recover the bodies and hunt down the terrorists. However, till the reports last came in, the bodies were not traced.
“We have received information that my brother along with Ahmad was abducted and killed by terrorists. They were VDGs and have gone for grazing cattle as usual,” Kumar’s brother Prithvi said.
Prithvi said his father Amar Chand died a week ago and the reports about his brother came as another big shock for the family.
There were reports that the terrorists had used mobile telephones of the VDGs to send photographs of the bodies to some of their contacts on WhatsApp to confirm and claim the killings.
Meanwhile, Kashmir Tigers, an offshoot of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror outfit, has claimed that they killed the VDGs. They also shared the pictures of the bodies of the deceased with their eyes blindfolded, hands tied and blood oozing out of their mouth and eyes.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has strongly condemned the heinous terrorist attack on VDG members in Kishtwar. He paid homage to the martyr Nazir Ahmad and Kuldeep Kumar and reiterated the Government’s resolve to destroy all terror outfits and avenge the barbaric act.
In a post on X, he wrote: “No words are strong enough to condemn the heinous terrorist attack on VDG members in Kishtwar. I convey my heartfelt condolences to the families of brave sons martyred in this cowardly attack. We are firmly resolved to destroy all terror outfits & avenge this barbaric act”.
Meanwhile, NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have condemned the gruesome killing of two VDGs in a forest area in Kishtwar.
They said that such acts of barbaric violence remain a significant impediment in achieving long lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
“In this hour of grief, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased, ‘’ they added.
Meanwhile, the Sanatan Dharam Sabha (SDS) Kishtwar has given call for bandh tomorrow in protest against the killings of two VDGs.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
