Candlelight marches across Kashmir against Bhat's killing

Srinagar: Candlelight marches were held at several places in Kashmir Valley on Sunday in protest against the killing of Kashmiri Pandit farmer Puran Krishan Bhat by terrorists in Shopian district a day ago.

Officials said marches were taken out in Srinagar, Baramulla, Bandipora, Anantnag, Kulgam, Kupwara, Ganderbal and Shopian districts. People from all walks of life participated in these marches in large numbers, the officials said.

The marchers condemned the killing and expressed solidarity with Bhat’s family.

Bhat was gunned down by terrorists on Saturday outside his ancestral house in the Chowdhary Gund area of south Kashmir’ Shopian district, where he had gone to look after his orchards. Bhat was cremated in Jammu on Sunday.

A silent protest against the killing was held at Rainawari Stadium in the Downtown area of Srinagar in which people from different walks of life participated, the officials said.

Various civil society groups of Srinagar also lodged a protest at the historic Lal Chowk here against the killing. Kashmir Divisional Commissioner P K Pole paid tributes to Bhat at Shivpora area of the city.

Pole said the killing of an unarmed, innocent person was condemnable.

He said militancy was in its last phase in Jammu and Kashmir and the recruitment into militant ranks was on decline.