BJP leaders grilled at crematorium as body of Rahul Bhat consigned to flames

J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina and senior BJP leader Kavinder Gupta surrounded by angry crowd at Bantalab crematorium in Jammu on Friday.
J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina and senior BJP leader Kavinder Gupta surrounded by angry crowd at Bantalab crematorium in Jammu on Friday.

Sanjeev K Sharma
JAMMU, May 13: The body of martyred Kashmiri Pandit Government employee, Rahul Bhat was today consigned to flames after his brother Sunny Bhat lit the funeral pyre at Bantalab crematorium in Jammu as the entire place of last rites turned gloomy with wailing relatives and friends of the deceased remained inconsolable and vent their ire by raising anti-BJP and anti-Modi slogans and that too in the presence of J&K BJP president, Ravinder Raina and another senior BJP leader and former Deputy CM, Kavinder Gupta.

Click here to watch video
Eyewitnessed claimed that both the BJP leaders had a tough time in countering the angry crowd gathered at the crematorium which surrounded them and raised anti-BJP and anti-Modi slogans on their face.
Rahul Bhat was shot dead yesterday by militants inside Tehsil office in Chadoora where he worked as a clerk after getting a job under special employment package for migrants.
As soon as the news of killing of Rahul Bhat spread, a pall of gloom enveloped the locality in Durga Nagar where he lived and relatives and friends started visiting there while his body reached there today morning.
Friends, relatives and others who participated in the last rites of Rahul Bhat flayed the Government and law enforcement authorities for complete failure in protecting the lives of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley while some openly called the killing a well hatched conspiracy.
Anil Bhan, a youth who was part of the funeral procession openly claimed that the killing of Rahul Bhat was pre-planned.

Crowd gathered at Bantalab crematorium to perform last rites of Rahul Bhat martyred by militants.— Excelsior/Rakesh
Crowd gathered at Bantalab crematorium to perform last rites of Rahul Bhat martyred by militants. — Excelsior/Rakesh

“The Government is doing nothing to provide security to Kashmiri Hindus working in the Valley and is playing with our lives,” he said adding: “You call a person, who is on leave, to join office and he is shot dead there as the security vanished.”
Bhan termed the killing as a pre-planned murder which exposed complete failure of the administration.
“This is for the first time that someone is shot dead in Tehsil office and it seems the killers knew where their target was sitting as they straight away went to him and killed him and then escaped so easily,” he maintained.
Similar were the views of Sanjay Ganjoo, 45, who too claimed the killing was a conspiracy as a man on leave in Jammu is called to join office in Kashmir where he was ultimately gunned down.
Meanwhile, the social media flooded with condemnations and resentments against the Government for allegedly making the Kashmiri Hindus fodder for guns of militants.
P K Raina-a retired officer used Facebook to condemn the killing and raised questions on the working of police in Kashmir.
Meanwhile, former Deputy CM and senior BJP leader, Kavinder Gupta who joined cremation of the martyred Kashmiri Pandit told reporters that security forces are dealing with militants with iron fists and a record number of ultras have been neutralised in recent years.
BJP J&K head, Ravinder Raina said that martyrdom of Rahul Bhat will not go in vain and the killers will soon be dealt with stringent action.
The crowd gathered at crematorium also raised slogans like “Rahul Bhat Amar Rahen”.