Man shot dead in Rajouri

Ishtyaq Ahmed (26) was shot dead by VDC member Kewal Sharma in Potha village of Kalakote Tehsil of Rajouri district last night, a police officer said, adding that locals apprehended the accused and handed him over to the police.

“Rajouri incident is an open lesson for NC, which during its regime was defending these forces and hiding their crimes against Muslims of Jammu region”.

A case has been registered and the accused arrested, his rifle confiscated by the police, he said. “They should immediately handover their weapons to the police”, he said.

In Srinagar, police detained independent MLA, Sheikh Abdul Rashid and his supporters, who were raising anti-VDC and anti-government slogans, when they tried to gherao Chief Minister’s residence in protest against the killing. Uncle of Ishtiaq Ahmed said that it was a painful situation for the whole country and added that people are not safe in the state.

While terming the Rajouri incident as heartbreaking and intolerable, he said the Muslim identity of Kashmiri irrespective of his political affiliations and beliefs is being considered as a big crime.

Pertinently, a National Conference worker was killed by a VDC member in Rajouri a few days back.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader, Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami in a media interview in Srinagar said that the act of killing of youth was heinous and again VDC members proved that they ware terrorists.

Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani Monday alleged that government created Village Defence Committees (VDCs) to suppress the Jammu Muslims. Rasheed demanded disbanding of the VDCs and constitution of a commission to investigate the crimes committed by their members.