BJP councillor Rakesh Pandita, who was shot useless by militants in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district, was cremated right here on Thursday in the presence of scores of mourners, together with leaders of his social gathering and different organisations. Pandita, the municipal chairman of Tral, was killed by unidentified militants in the Tral space of Pulwama district late on Wednesday night. He was visiting a buddy, Mushtaq Ahmad, when three militants opened hearth at them. Ahmad’s daughter was additionally injured in the incident.
Pandita’s mortal stays arrived at his Roopnagar residence right here at 8.45 am and plenty of folks, together with high Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, thronged his dwelling regardless of Covid restrictions, officers stated. Emotions ran excessive because the physique arrived. The inconsolable relations broke down whereas folks shouted “Rakesh Pandita amar rahe” (long live Rakesh Pandita). Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina, MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta and former legislator Ajay Bharati were among those present. Wrapped in the tricolour, Pandita’s mortal remains were taken in a cavalcade led by Raina amid Covid restrictions to the cremation ground, where a few hundred people gathered to pay their last respects.
The Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief said Pandita’s “martyrdom” is not going to go in useless. “Pakistani terrorists have as soon as once more bled the Kashmir Valley. The coward Pakistanis attacked Pandita, a devoted and dedicated BJP employee who all the time dared Pakistanis in the valley, in the darkness of the evening. Pandita’s martyrdom is not going to go in useless,” he told reporters. BJP General Secretary (Organisation) Ashok Kaul termed the attack as a “security failure” and requested how terrorists are roaming freely focusing on folks.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti additionally condemned the BJP chief’s killing. “Shocked to listen to that BJP chief Rakesh Pandita has been shot useless by militants. These mindless acts of violence have introduced solely distress to J&Okay. My condolences to the household & might his soul relaxation in peace,” the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said in a tweet.
CPI(M) leader Mohamad Yousuf said that violence in any form is condemnable. Terming the incident as unfortunate, he said that there is no justification to kill any unarmed person. There is an urgent need to put an end to civilian killings, he said.
The Apni Party condemned the terror attack and killing of the Kashmiri Pandit councillor. Some members of the Kashmiri Pandit community also protested against the alleged security failure.
In June last year, a Kashmiri Pandit sarpanch was shot dead by militants in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Ajay Pandit (40), who was a Congress member and the sarpanch of the Lukbawan Panchayat halqa in Anantnag’s Larkipora area, was shot dead by militants in his native village, police had said.
Rakesh Pandita’s killing was the second such incident targeting Kashmiri Pandits in 17 years. Outfits representing the community alleged that it was an attempt to trigger a “fear psychosis” amongst Kashmiri Pandits as was finished in the valley in the Nineteen Nineties.
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