Woman, son shot dead by VDC member in Rajouri

Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir: A woman and her four year old son were shot dead in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir today by a member of a Village Defence Committee – a body of civilian volunteers armed by the government to fight militants. Both mother and child died on the spot.

The double murder was the second instance of its kind since December 19 when another VDC member, Kewal Sharma, shot dead a National Conference youth activist, Ishtiyaq Choudhary, in Kalakote after an altercation over ration distribution.

Threatening to launch a mass agitation against VDCs, the opposition National Conference accused the PDP-BJP government of using the force to “exert a repressive, extra-judicial influence on the people”.

“By marching towards the chief minister’s residence, we want to send a message to Mufti Sahib that he must disband the VDCs and constitute a commission to investigate the crimes committed by its members”, Rashid said. “One man can be wrong but not all VDCs”.

Kashmir Centre for Social and Development Studies (KCSDS) Thursday expressed grief and concern over the continued “barbarity” of VDC members in Jammu region. “They will continue to do so”, Singh said.

Rana said a firearm officially issued in the name of the VDC member was used in the murder.

Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani also supported the shutdown, terming the VDCs as an “illegal and terrorist force” indulging in “extreme form of state terrorism”.