Slogans such as ‘Rahul Bhat Amar Rahe’, ‘Pakistan Murdabad’ and ‘BJP Hai-Hai’, rend the air as the mortal remains of Rahul Bhat, who was shot dead by terrorists inside his office in Budgam , were cremated in Jammu on Friday.
Rahul Bhat’s wife and daughter, who were putting up with him at Sheikhpora migrant colony in Budgam, accompanied the body as it arrived here from Kashmir.
The pyre was lit by Bhat’s brother, Sunny, who serves in the police department, even as members of the community expressed their anger over the barbaric killing and demanded security for the Kashmiri Pandits living in the Valley. “Kashmiri Pandits should be provided foolproof security. Rahul’s killing was another targeted killing by those who want to promote and establish Ghazwa-e-Hind. This has to be nipped for once and all,” said an angry member at the cremation ground.
Another local Rakesh Bhat said that the Pandits should not be sent back to Kashmir and should rather be kept in safe camps in Jammu. “Rahul’s killing is yet another selective killing of a hapless law-abiding citizen. It has created fear among other Pandit employees in the Valley, who do not feel secure there anymore,” he added.
He said that the government had reduced Pandits to sacrificial goats to be shot at by “gun-weilding maniacs” in Valley.
{{/usCountry}}He said that the government had reduced Pandits to sacrificial goats to be shot at by “gun-weilding maniacs” in Valley.
{{/usCountry}}“I appeal L-G Manoj Sinha to wipe out terrorists and their sympathisers. Till this azadi slogan does not end, Kashmiri Pandits should not return to the Valley, and if they are to return, then they should be given security,” he said.
Bring my son’s killers to justice: Distraught father
Rahul’s father Bitta Jee Bhat said, “My son’s killers must be brought to justice”.
“I want a thorough investigation into how terrorists entered a government office and shot my son dead. The government talks about rehabilitating Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley, but its own Pandit employees are not safe inside government offices,” he added.
In the morning, angry protesters blocked Janipur Road and demanded justice for the family. Preliminary investigation has revealed that two terrorists were involved in the heinous crime and they used pistols for killing Rahul Bhat.
Additional director general of police Mukesh Singh, Jammu divisional commissioner Ramesh Kumar and Jammu district commissioner Avny Lavasa were present at the cremation ground.
SIT constituted to probe murder, victim’s wife to get govt job
LG announces govt job to Rahul’s wife, free education to daughter
Jammu and Kashmir government has constituted an SIT to probe the murder. Taking to Twitter, lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha announced that the J-K administration will provide a government job to Rahul Bhat’s wife in Jammu and financial assistance to his family. Free education will also be provided to his daughter.
“A decision has been taken to constitute special investigative team to probe all the aspects of the despicable terror attack. The SHO of the concerned police station has also been attached,” The L-G tweeted.
Strong protests erupt in Jammu
Protests against the targeted killing rocked Jammu on Friday, with BJP leaders Ravinder Raina and former deputy CM Kavinder Gupta facing the wrath of angry Kashmiri Pandit members at the cremation ground.
The workers of Dogra Front and Shiv Sena under the leadership of president Ashok Gupta also took out a protest rally in Jammu city against the killing of Bhat. Bajrang Dal activists led by its president Rakesh Bajrangi also staged a vociferous protest.
“Rahul had requested the local administration to transfer him to the district headquarter. But despite repeated pleas, he wasn’t transferred. Some people within his office conspired with the terrorists,” said Gupta.
Raina said, “I strongly condemn the barbaric killing of Rahul. Those behind this despicable terror attack shall not go unpunished”.
Bhat is the second Kashmiri Pandit to have been killed by terrorists in the last seven months. A prominent member of the Kashmiri Pandit community, chemist Makhan Lal Bindroo, was shot dead by terrorist on 6 October, 2021.
As many as 14 people belonging to Jammu and Kashmir’s minority Hindu community, including Kashmiri Pandits, have been killed by militants in various parts of Kashmir between August 2019 and March 2022. Those targeted included prominent businessmen, sarpanchs and block development council members.
There has been a spurt in attacks on non-Muslims and outsiders living in Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir, in August 2019. Gupta appealed the L-G to form a SIT in the matter as this killing indicated involvement of people within the tehsildar office as the terrorists clearly knew about all the details of Rahul Bhat.
J&K HC Bar Association condemn Bhat’s killing
The J&K High Court Bar Association on Friday strongly condemned barbaric killing Rahul Bhat killing in Chadoora and urged the lieutenant governor of the union territory to take stern action against subversive elements to curb the menace of terrorism and to ensure peaceful atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir. An emergent meeting was held under the chairmanship of president MK Bhardwaj to condemn the killing of innocent Kashmiri Pandit.