Excelsior Correspondent/PTI
NEW DELHI/ Srinagar, June 23: Early today morning, on learning about the gruesome killing of Mohammad Ayub Pandith, DySP, Governor N N Vohra spoke to Dr SP Vaid, Director General of Police, and conveyed his sincere sympathy to the family of the officer and to all ranks of the J&K Police.
Governor has expressed grave concern over the continuing attacks on personnel of J&K Police. He is convening an emergency meeting with the Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, the Congress today expressed serious concern over the “worsening situation” in Kashmir after a DySP was lynched and asked the Government what policy it has for the state which saw jawans and policemen dying every other day.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi termed the lynching as “horrific”, saying the incident marked a new low in the State.
He lamented that the State had gone back several decades due to the “complete failure” of the PDP-BJP combine there.
“The brutal lynching of DySP Md Ayub Pandith marks a new low. Pained beyond words at the horrific incident,” he said on Twitter.
“Heartbreaking to see J&K being pushed back several decades because of the complete failure of the PDP/BJP Government,” he tweeted.
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad also condemned the brutal killing of DySP Mohammed Ayub Pandith and said it was against Islam and humanity.
“It is a shameful act. Killing a person in the holy month of Ramzan is condemnable. Such thing is against both the Islam and the humanity,” Azad said.
At the AICC briefing, Congress spokesperson R P N Singh said, “There is complete breakdown as far as law and order is concerned, as far as internal security is concerned. It seems that the Government has no policy, has no kind of action plan and seems that it is not moved by what is happening in J&K.”
He said the situation in Kashmir was worsening as even forces and policemen are lynched.
“A DySP is lynched in the heart of Srinagar which is extremely frightening. Is there any Government? Is there any rule of law? What kind of security scenario is this when security personnel are being lynched in the heart of the city,” he said, adding one can understand the situation today.
Singh said there is complete breakdown in internal security as far as J&K is concerned. It is extremely unfortunate that so many times condolences have to be read for our brave-heart Jawans who are being martyred every day and so are policemen now.
“How many more Jawans are going to be martyred, how many more Policemen are going to be martyred. We just saw in the last one month that over 17 policemen have been martyred in J&K. More than 208 Army personnel have been martyred in J&K alone,” he said, adding that there have been terrorist attacks on military establishment where civilians have died.
“Where is this Government and where is its Nationalism? Does this Government feel that J&K exists and needs attention? We see no urgency, no movement, no political will as far as this Government is concerned,” he said.
The Congress leader asked whether the Government has shown any seriousness in discussing the deteriorating situation in J&K, both internal as well as external threat perception, and has a meeting of CCS been convened.
“It is something that shakes the very foundation of the Constitution of this country. It shakes the very faith in the Government responsible for protecting our borders, our people,” he said.
Singh said this Government talks much about nationalism and asked whether what was happening in Jammu and Kashmir is the nationalism they talk about.
“It is matter of concern that anti-social elements and lynch-mobs are having a free-run under this Government. The Congress takes this very seriously,” he said.
The Congress leader said everyday jawans, policemen and innocent citizens were martyred but the Prime Minister does not find time even to even regret these incidents.
“Is this nationalism and is this the ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’ that they talk about,” he asked, adding that the Congress party views this seriously and will raise this issue and seriously try and corner this Government.
“If anybody tries to attack India, the Congress party will strongly stand against it,” he said.
Singh said the country is safe only as our armed forces are doing their duty diligently.
Meanwhile, condemning the lynching of a police officer in Srinagar, National Conference working president Omar Abdullah today said the people behind the “travesty” should “burn in hell”.
He said the killing of Deputy Superintendent of Police Mohammad Ayub Pandith outside the Jamia Masjid in the downtown area of the city was height of barbarism.
“I am personally anguished and devastated by this tragedy. That this happened on the most auspicious night and outside Jamia Masjid is shocking,” he said.
“His death is a tragedy & the manner of his death a travesty. May the people who lynched DySP Pandith burn in hell for their sins,” Omar wrote on Twitter.
Expressing shock and anguish over the “dastardly and barbaric” killing, Omar said the killing was the height of barbarism and should be condemned unequivocally by everyone.
“I am personally anguished and devastated by this tragedy. That this happened on the most auspicious night and outside Jamia Masjid is shocking. Such heinous elements are the enemies of Kashmiriyat and humanity and should be given the sternest possible sentence as per the law of the land,” he said in a statement.
The former Chief Minister of the State announced a donation of Rs 10 lakh on behalf of the party and also a month’s salary as MLA to the police welfare fund to support families of such martyrs.
“We are all duty-bound to stand with the family of the martyred police officer and also the police department in this hour of mourning and grief,” the NC working president said.
He demanded that the culprits be brought to book without delay and given the sternest possible punishment.
On the instructions of the working president, NC’s provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani and State spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattu attended the wreath-laying ceremony of the police officer on behalf of the party and paid tribute.
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