Srinagar Mayor Blames Pak-Backed Elements For Killings, DGP Says ‘Attempt To Defame Local Muslims’

Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbag Singh said that the attacks were an attempt to defame the Muslim community of Kashmir.

Representative Photo

New Delhi: Srinagar Mayor Junaid Mattu on Thursday responded over the recent terrorist attacks in the valley as two government school teachers, including a woman, were shot dead by militants in the Eidgah area of the city today.

He held elements backed by Pakistan responsible for the targeted killings.

“The elements backed by Pakistan are behind this. We should all come out on the streets and take a stand as a society that we'll not allow this.. I appeal to all communities to stand together. Kashmir belongs to people of all religious beliefs,” the Srinagar mayor said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

#WATCH The elements backed by Pak behind this. We should all come out on the streets &take a stand as a society that we'll not allow this..I appeal to all communities to stand together. Kashmir belongs to people of all religious beliefs: Srinagar mayor on recent civilian killings pic.twitter.com/hgN7C34QlC

— ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2021

The killing of the teachers on Thursday took the number of civilians killed in the last five days in Kashmir valley to seven, including four from the minorities.

The deceased were identified as Supinder Kour, a resident of Alochi Bagh area of the city here, and Deepak Chand, a resident of Jammu. They were working as teachers at Government Boys School, Sangam, news agency PTI reported.

Sharing his response over the attack, Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbag Singh said that the targeted killing of civilians, particularly minorities, in Kashmir is aimed at creating an atmosphere of fear and damaging age-old communal harmony.

The people who are targeting humanity, brotherhood, and local ethos and values will be unmasked soon, Dilbag Singh told reporters at the site of the latest militant attack - the Government Boys Higher Secondary School at Sangam, Eidgah.

“The incidents of targeting civilians in Kashmir since a few days are barbaric. Innocent people who are working for society and have nothing to do with anyone are being targeted. This is an attempt to create an atmosphere of fear and to give it a communal colour so as to damage the communal harmony in Kashmir,” the Director General of Police (DGP) said, as quoted by PTI.

“We regret the back-to-back attacks in which civilians have been killed. We are working on the previous cases and the Srinagar police have got many clues and we will soon get the people behind such terror and barbaric attacks.... I am sure the police will be able to unmask them soon,” he added.

He also emphasised that the attacks were an attempt to defame the Muslim community of Kashmir, and stated the terrorists are “acting on the directions of Pakistan” to put hurdles in the way of peace in the valley.

“This is an attempt to defame local Muslims of Kashmir. It is a conspiracy to target those who have come here for earning bread and butter. It is a conspiracy to damage the age-old tradition of communal harmony and brotherhood in Kashmir. Terrorists are terrorists and they are acting on the directions of the agencies across (the border) in Pakistan so that Kashmir is kept disturbed and hurdles are put in the way of peace in Kashmir. I am hopeful that people in Kashmir will not let this conspiracy succeed. We will work together and defeat their purpose,” PTI quoted Dilbag Singh as saying.

Recent Killings In Kashmir

On Saturday, militants shot dead Majid Ahmad Gojri, a resident of Chattabal Srinagar, at Karan Nagar. 

Later that night, another civilian Mohammad Shafi Dar, resident of Batamaloo, was shot at and injured at SD Colony Batamaloo. He succumbed to the injuries.

On Tuesday, three civilians were shot dead by militants within two hours in separate incidents in the Srinagar and Bandipora districts of Jammu and Kashmir. 

The victims included Makhan Lal Bindroo, a Kashmiri Pandit and owner of Srinagar's most famous pharmacy.

He was shot dead by the assailants from point-blank range while he was at his pharmacy.

Within an hour, militants killed a non-local street vendor in the Hawal area of the city.

The vendor, identified as Virender, used to sell bhel puri and was also shot at point-blank range. He died on the spot.

Within minutes of the second killing, the third victim Mohammad Shafi Lone was shot dead at Naidkhai in Bandipora district in North Kashmir.