Suhail Khan
SRINAGAR : A principal and a teacher at a government school in Eidgah area of Srinagar were shot dead in cold blood on Thursday, taking the toll of targeted killings in Kashmir to five since Tuesday.
The attack on school teachers came after two days when suspected gunmen killed three civilian including a Kashmiri Pandit, Kashmiri Muslim and a non-local street vendor from Bihar on Tuesday evening.
As per Police reports, Satinder Kour, the principal, and teacher Deepak Chand died on the spot when they were fired upon from a close range in the school premises in Eidgah. While Chand was from Jammu, both of them lived in Srinagar’s Aolochi Bagh area.
The staff members said that most of the teachers were having tea inside a room when this incident took place. “Then some locals also came and these two (two slain teachers) were taken to the hospitals but both were declared dead. Chand had bullets on his head while Kaur was on her back.”
A pall of gloom descended on Satinder Kaur’s home. “Who killed my daughter? She has never harmed anyone. They should have killed me instead,” her mother said, while other women tried to console her.
The killings sent shivers down the spine across Kashmir especially the minority community. While talking to media after the attack at the school, Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh said that killing of unarmed civilians in Srinagar is a move to damage and attack the age-old traditional communal harmony in Kashmir.
“This is an attempt to defame local Muslims of Kashmir. Killing innocent civilians including teachers is a move to attack and damage the age-old tradition of communal harmony and brotherhood in Kashmir,” the DGP said.
Pertinent to mention here that, a spree of civilian killings, seven in the past 10 days, has come at a time when Union Ministers are on a nine-week outreach programme in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Union Territory’s political parties have condemned the killings. National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah, who described it as “shocking news”, said, “Words of condemnation are not enough for this inhuman act of terror but I pray for the souls of the deceased to rest in peace.”
CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said that the killing of two school teachers in Srinagar, less than 48 hours after three civilians were gunned down in separate incidents, is most unfortunate and tragic and such barbaric incidents have no place in a civilised society.
In a statement issued to Kashmir Despatch, Tarigami said, “Such brutal killings are harmful for the society and can’t be justified under any circumstances. It is the responsibility of the whole society, including political, social, religious and other organisations, to come forward and condemn such barbaric incidents in one voice. Spilling the blood of innocents is not acceptable to us.”
“The spree of latest killings has shocked the Kashmiri society. Kashmiri Pandits and Sikhs are part and parcel of the local shared history, and cultural ethos,” he said. He said that protecting the pluralistic visage of J&K must be the top agenda of every Kashmiri.
In a statement issued here, Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari termed the incident as a dastardly coward act wherein civilians have been targeted mercilessly.
“This is a brazen display of cowardice and inhuman nature. The government must act tough against the perpetrators of this heinous crime against humanity,” Bukhari said, demanding security measures that can prevent such brutal killings across Kashmir.
He said that the agony and pain through which the families of victims would be now going through is inexpressible. “This senseless violence seems to have no end as even women folk are not being spared now. What justification can be given for these cold blooded killings?” he asked.
Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone said, “It is important to understand that terrorists have no religion. Muslims have been killed too. I personally had a killing in my family. This is a lunatic fringe which is a curse for Kashmir. May Allah rid us of this curse.”
“Disturbing to see the deteriorating situation in Kashmir where a minuscule minority is the latest target. (Government of India) GOI’s claims of building a Naya Kashmir has actually turned it into a hellhole. It’s sole interest is to use Kashmir as a milch cow for its electoral interests,” Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti said.
Jammu and Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Party General Secretary (Organization) Ashok Koul Thursday condemned the killing of two teachers in Srinagar, and termed it ‘barbaric’.
Koul termed the killings as barbaric and offered his condolences to bereaved families in this time of grief. It is unfortunate that security agencies have failed to thwart such attacks in the Valley particularly in Srinagar, he said.
“It is a clear security lapse from the government end as seven civilians have been killed in Kashmir from the past five days,” Koul said. Why our police and other agencies have failed to safeguard the lives of common citizens, he questioned.
Chairman People’s Democratic Front PDF Hakeem Yaseen has expressed serious concern over spurt in civilian killings in recent days in Kashmir valley. He said people of Kashmir were in deep shock and dumbstuck yet, mourning the pain of cold blooded murder of of H L. Bindroo and two other civilians yesterday, that unknown gunmen have struck and ruthlessly massacred two teachers in a School in downtown Srinagar. “The spurt in senseless killings of innocent civilians was very unfortunate, heart wrenching and against tenants of Islam,” Hakeem Yaseen observed.
The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) on Thursday strongly condemned the ghastly act of killing of school teachers in Safakadal area of Srinagar District.
In a statement, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee has expressed disappointment over the killing of school teachers, describing it as shameful, unfortunate and most condemnable act.
The barbaric Killing of school teachers was a disturbing and mindless act on the part of killers, JKPCC added and expressed anguish over the loss of, urging the Govt to ascertain the identity of killers for exemplary punishment.
