New Delhi: Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar on Sunday clarified that the order asking district police authorities to relocate non-local labourers to nearest police and army camps is fake, news agency ANI reported.
In the latest incident of civilians’ killings in recent weeks in Jammu and Kashmir, two more non-local labourers were shot dead by the terrorists and another injured in Kulgam district on Sunday.
Earlier, it was reported that in view of the killings, district police authorities have been directed to bring all non-resident labourers in the valley to the nearest security camps for safety.
“Terrorists fired indiscriminately upon Non Local labourers at Wanpoh area of Kulgam. In this terror incident, 02 non-locals were killed and 01 injured. Police & SFs cordoned off the area,” Kashmir Zone Police had posted on its official Twitter handle.
The militants entered the rented accommodation of the labourers and fired on them indiscriminately, officials said, as per news agency PTI.
Meanwhile, PTI also reported IGP Vijay Kumar as having stated: “All non-local labourers in your respective jurisdiction should be brought to the nearest police or central paramilitary force or army establishment just now”.
According to the agency's report, the message was sent to district police in the valley. However, as per the latest update, IGP Vijay Kumar has clarified the message as being fake.
Political Leaders Condemn Civilian Killings
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti condemned the repeated barbaric attacks on innocent civilians.
"There are no words strong enough to condemn the repeated barbaric attacks on innocent civilians. My heart goes out to their families because they leave the comforts of their homes to earn a dignified livelihood. Terribly sad,” she tweeted.
Altaf Thakur, the spokesperson of Jammu and Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said the killings were “nothing but pure genocide”.
“The gruesome murder of non-locals is nothing but inhuman and shows the frustration of militants,” he said.
CPI (M) leader M Y Tarigami on his part said killing innocent labourers, who have come here to earn their livelihood, is a heinous crime.
“This is aimed at targeting the interests of people of Kashmir and this is happening at a time when the harvesting season is at its peak,” he said.
Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha amid a spate of civilian killings vowed to avenge every drop of their blood by hunting down the terrorists and their sympathizers.
Reiterating the commitment to fast-paced development of the union territory, he said attempts are being made to disrupt the peace and socio-economic progress of Jammu and Kashmir and the individual growth of people.
“I pay my heartfelt tributes to the martyr civilians and condolences to the bereaved families. We'll hunt down terrorists, their sympathisers and avenge every drop of innocent civilians' blood,” Sinha said in his monthly radio programme ‘Awaam ki Awaaz’, PTI reported.
“We remain committed to fast-paced development and will endeavor to build a prosperous and peaceful UT of J&K,” he added referring to the civilians’ killing by the militants over the past 10 days in the valley.
Urging the people to remember the security personnel who have laid down their lives in the line of duty, the Lieutenant Governor said: “When we light the Deepawali lamps next month, let's light one lamp in remembrance of the martyrs among the security forces who were prematurely snatched from us by the enemies of humanity.”
Earlier on Saturday, two non-locals were shot dead by militants in Srinagar and Pulwama districts. Arvind Kumar Sah, a resident of Bihar’s Banka was shot at by the ultras outside a park at Eidgah in Srinagar. In another incident, militants fired at and critically injured Saghir Ahmad, a carpenter hailing from Uttar Pradesh, in Pulwama district.
Seven civilians, including four from minority communities, were earlier killed by the terrorists in Kashmir, triggering fear among the people in the valley.