Security forces have free hand to deal with militancy: LG
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Feb 26: A Kashmiri Pandit working as a security guard at a bank was shot dead by militants in Pulwama this morning.
Masked militants fired at Sanjay Sharma in Achan village, Pulwama who along with his wife were on way to a nearby health facility. Sharma, who was critically injured in the attack, was rushed to the hospital where he succumbed to injuries.
DIG South Kashmir, Rayees Ahmad Bhat who visited the spot told reporters that the bank security guard identified as Sanjay Sharma was shot dead by the militants at the Achan area of Litter village. “The militants involved in the act will be neutralised very soon,” he said.
“The security forces will never allow the nefarious plans of the militants to succeed.”
He said that there were security arrangements at the place where the incident took place. “However, the circumstances under which the incident took place is part of the investigation which is underway,” he added. Click here to watch video
Soon after, the police, Army and paramilitary forces cordoned off the area to arrest the suspected militants.
The residents of the area in large numbers gathered at the residence of Sharma and expressed sympathies with the bereaved family. Some residents came out on the main road and protested against the killing.
Later in the evening, a group of residents held candle light protest against killing and demanded that the killers should be brought to justice.
In October last year, a Kashmiri Pandit farmer Puran Krishan Bhat was gunned down by militants outside his house in Chowdhary Gund village of Shopian. The killing had triggered a fresh wave of migration from the Valley as 10 families from the village left for Jammu soon after.
There has been a series of attacks on Kashmiri Pandits and other members of the minority community in the Valley since the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019. The attacks have picked up since October 2021.
Killing of Sharma is the first fatal attack on a Kashmiri Pandit in the Valley since October last year.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha strongly condemned the dastardly attack on Kashmiri Pandit in Pulwama district and said that administration has given free hand to the security forces to deal with the militants.
The LG said the administration is standing strong with the bereaved family. “My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family,” he said.
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