Only Option Left Is To Leave Valley Or Get Killed: Kashmiri Pandits' Body After Series Of Attacks

The Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti also accused the government for its alleged failure to protect the Kashmiri Pandit community in the valley.

Visual outside the residence of the siblings killed by the terrorists in Shopian

Source : ANI

After a spate of civilian killings in the valley, Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS), a Srinagar-based organisation of local Pandits on Tuesday urged members of the minority community to leave the Valley. The strongly worded statement from KPSS comes amid Tuesday's brutal attack that killed Sunil Kumar and critically injured his brother, Pitambar (Pintu) in Chotigam village of Shopian district

Sanjay Kumar Tickoo, president of KPSS asked all local Pandits to leave the Valley, reported news agency IANS. "No Kashmiri Pandit is safe in Kashmir Valley. For Kashmiri Pandits, only one option left is to leave Kashmir or get killed by the religiously fanatic minds who have support from the local population," the KPSS statement read.

The statement also pointed out that tourists and Amarnath Yatris remained safe in Kashmir, but it is non-local Muslims and Kashmiri Pandits who are the target of terrorists.

The Samiti also accused the government for its alleged failure to protect the Kashmiri Pandit community.

In a terrorist attack last week, a migrant labourer from Bihar was shot dead in the Sumbal town of Bandipora district. Another labourer from Bihar was also killed and two injured in a grenade attack at Pulwama’s Gadoora on August 4.

The targeted killings this year killed almost 25 people, including four non-local residents, as per India Today report. Tuesday's killings caused widespread condemnation from the administration and political parties.

Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha said in a tweet that he was "pained beyond words on the despicable terror attack on civilians in Shopian. My thoughts are with the family of Sunil Kumar. Praying for a speedy recovery of the injured. The attack deserves the strongest condemnation from everyone. Terrorists responsible for the barbaric act will not be spared".

Former chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah also condemned the killings and said the incident "have left a trail of death and suffering" and offered condolences to the victim's family.