Rajnath speaks to Guv; Dr Jitendra for regular patrolling
Curfew clamped in Kishtwar, Bhaderwah; Army called out
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 9: In yet another targeted killing, militants struck in the heart of Kishtwar town in broad day-light today, killing senior RSS functionary, Chanderkant Sharma and his Personal Security Officer (PSO), Rajinder Kumar, in the District Hospital Kishtwar, leading to tension in the town after which the administration ordered imposition of curfew in Kishtwar and Bhaderwah towns and called out Army in sensitive areas to stage flag march and maintain law and order.
The terror attack came just nine days ahead of Parliamentary election in Udhampur-Doda constituency and a day after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh addressed a BJP rally in Bhaderwah.
This was third major terror strike in Kishtwar during past over five months starting with killing of senior BJP leader, Anil Parihar and his brother, Ajit Parihar at Parihar Mohalla in Kishtwar town on November 1, 2018 followed by snatching of rifle from PSO of DC Kishtwar, Angrez Singh Rana on March 8 this year.
Chanderkant Sharma, 48, a senior RSS functionary, was working as Pharmacist in the District Hospital, Kishtwar and had been provided with two PSOs as he was on hit-list of the militants and had earlier also survived the militant attacks narrowly twice. He had been given posting in the DH Kishtwar for past quite long time and was known as prominent nationalist voice of Kishtwar. He was also involved in helping police with information against the militants.
At about 12.45 pm, one of the militants in the disguise of burqa-clad woman, entered the District Hospital, brought out an AK rifle from black bag and straightway targeted PSO of Chanderkant Sharma, killing him on spot. Sharma, realizing trouble, tried to shift his location but the militant targeted him, causing him serious injuries.
The militant escaped from the hospital within a couple of minutes taking along with him the AK rifle of slain PSO.
Police believed that another militant might have been waiting at some distance on a two-wheeler and both fled from the spot and disappeared before police could come into action.
Union Minister of State for Home, Dr Jitendra Singh, the BJP candidate for Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat immediately reached Kishtwar and handed over his helicopter in which he was campaigning for airlifting the RSS functionary to Jammu.
Sharma was flown and admitted in the Government Medical College, Jammu in critical condition, where he succumbed to his injuries. His body was later airlifted to Kishtwar late in the afternoon.
Dr Jitendra called upon police to track down the militants involved in the killings.
Dr Jitendra Singh also spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Governor Satya Pal Malik and Advisor Incharge Home K Vijay Kumar from Kishtwar and called for regular patrolling in Kishtwar on the lines of Kashmir valley to ensure that the militancy is curbed.
Later, Rajnath talked to the Governor over phone to take assessment of the situation following the killings.
Dr Jitendra Singh said the attack was aimed at disturbing communal harmony in the district and called upon the people to maintain peace. He added that regular patrolling will act as deterrent to the militancy.
Sharma’s body was kept at his residence at Brahman Mohalla in Kishtwar. His PSO Rajinder Kumar, who had been promoted as constable from Special Police Officer (SPO) and a resident of Mughal Maidaan, Kishtwar, had attained martyrdom on spot. His body has also been shifted to his residence after post-mortem.
Police said in view of security threat to the RSS functionary, he had been allotted an additional PSO, who was present in the District Hospital Kishtwar but at a different place and didn’t get chance to retaliate.
People in large number gathered at the District Hospital Kishtwar and damaged Emergency and OPD of the hospital to protest the killing of the RSS leader and his PSO by the militants in broad day-light.
However, police parties led by SSP Kishtwar Shakti Pathak immediately reached the spot and massive search operations were launched in different directions with the help of Army and para-military personnel to track down the militants involved in the killings.
“Search operations continued at various places. Police and security forces were making efforts to track down the militants,” Pathak told the Excelsior. He said only one militant had entered the District Hospital Kishtwar covering his face with a veil and executed the killings while reports indicated that another militant might have been waiting outside.
The militant had concealed the weapon in bag, he said.
Sources said the militants might have conducted recce of the District Hospital as the ultra straightway struck at the place where Chanderkant Sharma was sitting along with his PSO. Investigations on this front were also on, they said, adding nothing could be said at this stage as to whether someone from inside had sounded militants about exact location of Sharma, who was on hit-list of the militants and had been kept under security cover since 1996-97, was prominent RSS functionary.
Simultaneously, he was also working as Pharmacist and had been given posting in the District Hospital Kishtwar in view of threats to his life. Though officially he had been assigned one PSO, the district police had allotted him an additional PSO from the district in view of threat to his life.
Following terror attack, the district administration immediately imposed curfew in entire Kishtwar town and called out Army as precautionary measure to maintain law and order. Army staged flag march in sensitive towns. However, no untoward incident was reported from any part of Kishtwar.
Cremation of the RSS functionary and his PSO will take place tomorrow and authorities were making arrangements to ensure that it passes off smoothly.
In Bhaderwah town of Doda district also, authorities imposed curfew. Restrictions under Section 144 CrPC were imposed in rest of the district as preventive measure, SSP Doda Shabir Malik said.
However, Doda district remained peaceful barring protests by the people in Bhaderwah town against the killing of Chanderkant Sharma and his PSO.
Malik said Army has been kept standby in Doda district.
Only last week, Kishtwar police had come out with a list of seven militants, who were operating in the district and pasted their photographs at prominent locations and kept reward on them.
Police confirmed that only these seven militants were operating in the district and they were trying to ascertain as to which of them were involved in today’s targeted killing of Sharma and his PSO.
Tension gripped Kishtwar town following the terror attack, which comes at a time when Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat was scheduled to go to polling on April 18 in second phase.
Mobile internet services have been suspended in Kishtwar district and Bhaderwah town.
Meanwhile, Governor Satya Pal Malik has condemned the terror attack in Kishtwar in which two lives were lost.
In a condolence message, he prayed for peace to the departed souls and strength to the bereaved families in the hour of grief.
Malik directed civil and police administration to review safety and security aspects of all important installations, establishments and public places and maintain strict vigil to thwart nefarious designs of the forces inimical to peace and stability of the State.
He appealed to the people to cooperate with administration and maintain peace and harmony.
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