Ranjit Parihar
Eight months after the martyrdom of Parihar Brothers in Kishtwar, who scarified their lives for sovereignty and integrity of nation, families , relatives and general public are still waiting for justice as the slow pace of investigation being carried out by police and NIA has put several question marks upon it.
Majority of people living here has expressed their dismay over the delay in justice to the martyr families who were killed at Kishtwar on November 01,2018. Delay in justice has led to disillusionment among family members and the minority community who are living under fear in the area.
Jammu and Kashmir BJP state secretary Anil Parihar was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Kishtwar district on November 01 ,2018 when Anil Parihar and his brother Ajeet were returning from their shop in Kishtwar when they were fired upon from close range at a dark, narrow lane leading to their house. They were rushed to a hospital where doctors declared them brought dead.
After killing of Parihar brothers the Jammu and Kashmir Government constituted an SIT to probe the killings and directed it to submit its report as early as possible. The investigation in the case remained shoddy from very beginning as after the incident police did not carry over any crackdown or search operation in the area which gave safe passage to killers allege locals at Kishtwar. The SIT has detained some persons in connection with the killings after questioning over 30 people including the personal security officers of the BJP leader but they failed to yield any result. It is quite amazing that no Narco test has been conducted upon suspects arrested in this case. Police and NIA upon which people had faith failed to nab the killers till date.
After losing faith in police investigation on the demand of family of martyrs, and public, the investigation was handed over to over to National investigation Agency (NIA) in December 2018 which too couldnot yield any positive result even after 08 months which has shattered faith of martyrs’ family and minority living here.
No one till date has been arrested or prosecuted in the case . Investigation is going on at a snail’s pace . It is quite amazing that despite lapse of eight months no investigating Government agency neither police nor NIA has contacted martyrs family nor any press conference has been held by any agency to acquaint family and public about the progress of investigation. The helpless family has lost faith in system as no one visited them to console.
Family who lost the bread and butter earners has grudge with the party with which Anil Parihar remain associated for more than 35 years as they too not exerted any pressure to speed up investigation process but remained mute spectators from last eight months which raises several question marks and people are demoralized . After the Shardanjali Samaroh held here to pay tribute to martyrs no one from State or Central leadership visited martyrs family nor inquire about their welfare which raises several question mark – why party is not doing anything and kept distance despite their Government in State and center ? Due to laxity in civil and police administration Parihar brothers were killed. It is quite astonishing that despite security inputs about the presence of militants in the area nothing was done to strengthen security of Parihar. SOGs had already been disbanded by previous coalition State Government which had helped in containing subversive activities in the area. The delay in installation of CCTV on main chowks and non presence of security check points at chowks resulted in Parihar killings as militants got safe passage to execute it, and it raises several questions on the security scenario.
After the killing of Parihar brothers, Administration and police was repeatedly told about the presence of terrorists in the area but it was taken lightly and no safety measures were taken which resulted in another broad day killing . Two days ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu & Kashmir in April 2019 , suspected militants killed a Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) leader Chander Kant Sharma and his personal security officer (PSO) Rajinder Kumar inside a hospital in Kishtwar district further creating sense of fear among minority living here . After the killing of Chanderkant Sharma minority community is living under fear and it has created 1990 like situation when people had started migrating from area due to militancy in its peak . NIA has also failed in case of Chanderkant Sharma as no arrest was done so far .
To restore faith in minority and family of martyrs who are presently feeling helpless “It is important that justice be delivered to victim families as early as possible, otherwise, it will shatter faith of minority living in the area and can also create sense of alienation among them which in future can result in migration of minority from the area who always remain prepared for strengthening patriotism and nationalism here .
Minority living in the district appeal to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to personally intervene in this matter so that killers could be brought behind bars as, otherwise, people will lose faith in National Investigating agency.
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