CPI(M) condemns killing of civilians

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir unit of CPI(M) today condemned the killing of four youth in separate incidents in Pulwama and Baramulla districts of the state. Last night, Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) militants struck at the Old Baramulla town in Jammu and Kashmir and gunned down three men, in their early 20s.

A police spokesperson said all the three persons were shot at from a very close range in Iqbal market of Old Baramulla town, killing them on the spot. While in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, two Hizbul Mujahideen militants, including Sameer Ahmed Bhat alias ‘Sameer Tiger’, were gunned down and a civilian killed in an encounter. The civilian was killed when security forces were trying to chase away a stone pelting mob, the officials said. 

“We strongly condemn the killing of a youth in security forces firing in Pulwama district and killing of three other youth at the hands of ‘unidentified gunmen’ in Baramulla district,” State Secretary CPI(M) Ghulam Nabi Malik said in a statement. Malik asked how long the blood of civilians will continue to flow in Kashmir.

“Condemnation and ordering a probe after every killing is not a solution to the problem, but time has come when political leadership rising above the ideological difference should come together to stop these killings,” he said. Expressing solidarity with the bereaved families, he demanded an immediate end to the civilian killings in the valley.

“Killing of civilians can never be solution to any problem. Whether a civilian is killed by the bullet from one side or the other side, it is loss of precious human life. Whose cause is fulfilled by the killings of civilians? Unfortunately, it is a Kashmiri who is getting killed every day,” Malik said.

Yesterday,Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti had condemned the killing of civilians. Former Chief Minister and National Conference working president Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack and said he would like to see how the separatists leaders would react to this “brutal murder of three young people”. “Three civilians have been murdered by terrorists in Baramulla just now. I’d like to see the separatist leaders issue the sort of condemnation they usually reserve for when civilians are killed by security forces,” he tweeted.