The hardline Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Tuesday sought an impartial probe by an international human rights organisation into the killing of Hindus in Doda.
"The massacre of innocent people, irrespective of caste, creed, colour or political belief is a shameful act. Such incidents shall hurt the sentiments of all humanity," Geelani, chairman of the hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference, told reporters in Srinagar.
Geelani said he would lead a Hurriyat delegation to Doda on Wednesday to express solidarity with the affected families.
Nineteen Hindus, including an eight-year-old girl, were killed by terrorists in a remote village of Doda on Monday.
A judicial probe into the incident would help expose the people behind this act, but unless an impartial probe is done by an international human rights group like Amnesty International, the perpetrators would continue to go free, Geelani said.
Without naming anyone, Geelani said some people had developed a vested interest in maintaining staus quo in Kashmir as the return of peace would lead to their redundance.
Geelani said the centre's direction to the Kashmir goverment to beef up security for minority communities would undermine the tradition of communal amity.
"Protecting the minority communities is the duty of the majority community but they should be secure and strong enough to carry out this duty," he said.
{{/usCountry}}"Protecting the minority communities is the duty of the majority community but they should be secure and strong enough to carry out this duty," he said.
{{/usCountry}}Arming the minority communities through village defence committees, he said, would not guarantee that these weapons are not misused.