SIT set up, CCTVs rendered non-functional
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 10: Mob defied curfew restrictions and went on rampage in Kishtwar town targeting police installations including District Police Office (DPO) and SSP office, causing them extensive damage and fighting pitched battles with police and CRPF personnel during cremation of top RSS functionary Chanderkant Sharma while curfew remained enforced in Kishtwar and Bhaderwah towns for second consecutive day today with Army patrolling sensitive areas. Click here to watch video
Police was, meanwhile, coming to a conclusion that yesterday’s killings of the RSS leader and his PSO, Rajinder Kumar, might have been executed by the well trained militants from South Kashmir and not seven “listed militants” in Kishtwar district as eyewitnesses, who were shown pictures of active militants said the attackers didn’t resemble to any of them. Police have also set up a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to probe all aspects of the terror attack.
So far, police have detained nine persons and were likely to examine two surrendered militants posted in the District Hospital Kishtwar to probe “internal sabotage” as CCTVs in the hospital were found non-functional as they would have given vital clues, at least about one militant, who had entered inside the hospital premises, executed the killings and decamped with AK rifle of the martyr PSO.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), MK Sinha, who was camping in Kishtwar, told the Excelsior on phone that police have shown photographs of seven “listed militants” to some of the eyewitnesses of the attack but they said none of them resembled to the attacker.
“We are working on various theories. A SIT headed by DySP Headquarters, Kishtwar Aiyaz Sheikh has been set up to investigate the killings and reach to all the accused, who executed and facilitated the attack,” Sinha said and appealed to the people to maintain calm so that police could get the accused.
Kishtwar police had recently released names of seven “listed militants” in Kishtwar and kept handsome reward for people giving clues about them. Police believed that like the killings of Parihar brothers on November 1, 2018, at least couple of militants from South Kashmir might have executed the assassination of the RSS leader and his PSO, with the help of local militants.
However, possibility of involvement of some fresh recruits in the terror attack is not ruled out.
“The militant, who entered the hospital premises in a veil, seems to be very well trained and well informed about location of Chanderkant Sharma and his PSO, Rajinder Kumar. He straightway fired burst on the PSO and as he fell down, he targeted the RSS leader. Later, he escaped carrying AK rifle of the PSO. He executed entire task within two to three minutes, without giving any chance to police personnel in the vicinity to act,” sources said.
Kishtwar police have detained nine suspects for questioning in connection with the attack but clues or leads, leading to the accused, couldn’t be gathered from them. However, police said, they were on the job and hopeful of some clues shortly.
It may be mentioned here that police initially blamed the militants from South Kashmir for the killing of BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother Ajit Parihar on November 1 last year. The militants had been assisted by the local Over Ground Workers (OGWs). However, the NIA, which has been entrusted with investigations in the killing of Parihar brothers, was yet to come out with breakthrough.
Police said they were examining all aspects about non-functioning of CCTVs in the District Hospital Kishtwar as two surrendered militants had also been posted there. They will be soon quizzed, they added.
Police admitted that some insider(s) seem to be in touch with the militants as the gun-wielding ultra straightway targeted the spot where the RSS leader and his PSO were sitting, indicating he had prior information about their location inside the hospital. The militant also seems to have carried out recce of the hospital. They said one of the militants might have been waiting outside the hospital and both fled away from the spot on a two-wheeler.
Meanwhile, trouble erupted in Kishtwar when body of Chanderkant Sharma was being taken for cremation at Chowgan Maidaan in Kishtwar. Some of the youth, who were irked with three militant attacks in Kishtwar town during past about five months and police failure to eliminate or nab any of the accused, pelted stones on police personnel outside the Chowgan Maidaan. Police used teargas shells and lathicharge to disperse the mob.
Clashes between the two sides continued for about 20 minutes in which some youth and police personnel sustained minor injuries.
After cremation, the mob targeted the District Police Office (DPO), SSP Kishtwar office and Police Post by subjecting them to stone pelting. The offices suffered damage in stone pelting but there were no injuries to anyone. Furniture was also damaged. The mob dispersed as Army immediately rushed-in to defuse the tension.
Police said only mild force was used against the protesters keeping in view the highly surcharged atmosphere.
SSP Kishtwar Shakti Pathak told the Excelsior that people protested outside Chowgan Maidaan before cremation of Chanderkant Sharma and attacked police offices after the cremation. However, he said, the situation was brought under control within few minutes.
Pathak said police was on the job and was pursuing certain leads to reach to the accused. Number of suspects were being questioned, he added.
Pathak said curfew remained enforced in Kishtwar town for second consecutive day today and Army staged flag march in sensitive areas to maintain law and order. Other than protests during and after cremation of Sharma, no other untoward incident was reported from any part of the curfew bound town, he added.
He said the SIT has been asked to immediately take up investigations of the killings.
Curfew continued in Bhaderwah town of Doda district also for second day today while restrictions under Section 144 CrPC continued in rest of the areas of the district as a precautionary measure, SSP Doda Shabir Malik said.
Malik said minor protests were held in Bhaderwah town against the killings but the mob dispersed peacefully.
Tomorrow, Bhaderwah town will remain under curfew while there will be Section 144 in Doda town. In rest of the areas of the district, there will be no restrictions tomorrow in view of election campaigning, Malik said.
Meanwhile, top RSS and BJP leaders including Brig Suchet Singh, State president of RSS, Ravinder Raina, State BJP president, former Deputy Chief Ministers, Dr Nirmal Singh and Kavinder Gupta of BJP and other senior BJP and RSS functionaries from Kishtwar attended cremation of Chanderkant Sharma.
Thousands of people join cremation of martyr Chanderkant Sharma. Large number of people also joined cremation of Sharma’s PSO martyr Rajinder Kumar at Mughal Maidaan.
However, former MP from Udhampur-Doda and Dogra Swabhiman Front candidate from Udhampur and Jammu Parliamentary seats, Choudhary Lal Singh was detained by police at Khellani in Doda district this morning when he was heading towards Kishtwar to join cremation of the RSS functionary.
An official handout said police detained Lal Singh under Section 107 of CrPC at 10 am at Doda police station and later released him on bond by the Executive Magistrate Ist Class Doda at 1 pm.
However, Lal Singh refused to leave Doda police station for couple of hours questioning his detention saying when the BJP and RSS leaders can visit Kishtwar, why can’t he?
He left Doda around 5 pm for Kishtwar.
Life came to standstill on Batote-Kishtwar National Highway following imposition of Section 144 and several vehicles and people remained stranded. People raised slogans against the district administration for imposing restrictions and wanted smooth flow of traffic on the Highway.
Meanwhile, mobile internet services remained suspended in Kishtwar and Doda districts for second consecutive day today as a precautionary measure.
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