Slain leaves behind wife, two minor kids

Anantnag: A Kashmiri Pandit was shot at and killed, Saturday afternoon, by militants in Shopian district of South Kashmir.
The slain has been identified as Pooran Kishan Bhat, son of Tarakh Nath Bhat, a resident of Chowdhrygund village in the Shopian district. The 48-year-old was a farmer by profession and is survived by his wife and two minors – a son and a daughter.
“The family had not left Kashmir even during the turbulent ’90s when most of the Kashmiri Pandits had fled to Jammu and other parts of the country,” a police source from the district told Kashmir Reader.
Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Vijay Kumar, confirmed the killing. “He was shot at while he was on the way to his orchard. He succumbed on the way to the hospital,” Kumar said.
A senior police official from the district said that the incident took place at about half past noon on Saturday. “He was, as per initial reports, riding a scooter when gunmen intercepted him and fired at him,” the official said, adding that the whole area was cordoned off immediately after the incident took place. “A case has been registered and investigation has been taken up,” the official said.
This is the second such incident in the Shopian district in around two months. On August 16 a 45-year-old Kashmiri Pandit was shot at and killed, while his brother was injured, in their orchard in Chotipora village of Shopian district.
Such attacks have continued since the last more than two years now, even as the Kashmiri Pandits working under Prime Minister’s employment package have been demanding relocation to safer areas.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) South Kashmir Range, Sujit Kumar, has said that a single militant is believed to have been behind today’s killing of Bhat. “We are investigating the case and if any security lapse comes to the fore, strict action will be taken,” the DIG said.
Pertinently Bhat and some other Pandit families live in a secured cluster and have policemen guarding them round the clock.
Deputy Commissioner of Shopian Sachin Kumar Vaishya told PTI that Bhat’s body will be taken to Jammu where the last rites will be performed. “All arrangements are being made. We are extending help to the family.”

  BJP, Kashmir 370

Suhail A Shah