Candlelight marches across Kashmir against Puran Bhat’s killing
Puran Krishan Bhat, a fruit grower, was attacked near his residence in the Chowdhary Gund area of the Shopian district on Saturday morning
Candlelight marches were held at several places in Kashmir Valley on Sunday in protest against the killing of Kashmiri Pandit farmer Puran Krishan Bhat by terrorists in the Shopian district a day ago.
The biggest candlelight vigil was held in the southern district of Shopian, where people gathered around the main tower in the Shopian. The protesters raised slogans against the innocent killings in Kashmir.
Puran Krishan Bhat, a fruit grower, was attacked near his residence in the Chowdhary Gund area of the Shopian district on Saturday morning, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said. Deputy inspector general of police (DIG), south Kashmir, Sujit Kumar said the terror outfit Kashmir Freedom Fighters (KFF) has claimed responsibility for the attack. In August, Sunil Kumar Bhat, 48, a fruit farmer, was shot dead and his cousin brother, Pitambar, injured when militants opened fire on them in their orchard in the same district.
Earlier, a group of pandits held a candlelight protest in Indra Nagar, Srinagar. Later, a group of people including pandits, holding mashals(fire sticks), protested at the city centre, Lal Chowk in Srinagar.
“I have come here to stand in solidarity with my pandit brothers and sisters. We don’t want that innocent blood was shed in Kashmir. Stop senseless killings,” a protester said at Lal Chowk.
The government’s information department said in a tweet that “people from all walks of life participated in peaceful candle March, expressed solidarity with the family of the deceased”.
A silent protest was held at Rainawari Stadium in Old Town Srinagar in which divisional commissioner Pole also participated against the killing of Puran Krishan Bhat.
As the evening approached, candlelight protests by groups of people were held in North Kashmir’s Bandipora and Baramulla districts and in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal and Budgam districts in support of the family of the slain pandit.“We are with you,” the protesters in Budgam shouted.
“People from all walks of life including various Civil Society groups of Ganderbal participated in a peaceful candle March against Killing Puran Krishan Bhat in Shopian yesterday. Also expressed solidarity with the family of the deceased,” the government said.
Similarly, a protest rally was organised by elected panchayat members and senior citizens at bypass road Kupwara against the killing. Groups of people also protested in Anantnag and Kulgam districts. The common demand by the small groups of protesters was ‘ stop innocent killings’.
