J&K BJP Leader’s Killers Identified, Says Guv as Curfew Continues

J&K BJP State Secretary Anil Parihar and his brother were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in the Kishtwar district.

Jammu and Kashmir BJP state secretary Anil Parihar, who, along with his brother Ajeet, was killed.

(Photo Courtesy: ANI)

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Monday, 5 November, said that those involved in the killing of BJP state secretary Anil Parihar and his brother Ajeet have been identified.

Talking to mediapersons after the reopening of civil secretariat and other furniture move offices, the Governor said that both the killings were the handiwork of terrorists. “The killers have been identified and they will be before you soon, ” he said, as quoted by The Indian Express (IE).

Malik also said these killings were carried out by militants out of frustration as, during the last two months, people in the country have seen that all the four phases of urban local body polls completed without any killing in the valley, according to IE.

WHAT HAPPENED

The brothers were returning from their shop in Kishtwar when they were fired upon from close range at a dark, narrow lane leading to their house, PTI reported.

The assailants were apparently waiting for the brothers to return home and were ready with pistols, they said.

They were rushed to a hospital where doctors declared them brought dead, said the officials.

CURRENT SITUATION IN THE VALLEY

Curfew continued for the fifth consecutive day in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar town Monday, 5 November, which was imposed following the killing of a BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother Ajeet by suspected militants, PTI reported.

The state administration also called the Army as people staged protests and reportedly manhandled senior police personnel, officials told PTI.

However, the curfew was relaxed in the district for two hours on Saturday and four hours on Sunday.

District Development Commissioner, Kishtwar, Angrez Singh Rana told PTI that the curfew continued to remain imposed Monday and relaxations, if any, will be decided later in the day.

He said the law and order situation is normal and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the district.

The curfew was, however, lifted from Doda district, including the main town and Bhadarwah along with Paddar and Chatroo sub-divisions of Kishtwar district on Saturday, but Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) continued to remain in force in these areas as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.

Mobile internet services were suspended as a precautionary measure, while the curfew continued on Friday, 2 November.

However, the internet speed was restored in Jammu and other parts of the division Saturday evening.

The Army had also staged a flag march in sensitive areas to help the district administration in Kishtwar maintain law and order.

THE BROTHERS’ SEND-OFF

Family members and top BJP leaders on Friday, 2 November, bid an emotional goodbye to BJP state secretary Anil Parihar and his brother Ajeet, who were shot dead by suspected terrorists in the Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, 1 November.

Anil and Ajeet were returning home after closing their stationery shop when the gunmen fired at them in Tappal Gali area.

The duo’s mortal remains were consigned to flames in Kishtwar district at around 3 pm.

During the Friday congregational prayers, Imam of Kishtwar Jamia Masjid Farooq Kitchloo appealed to the Muslim community to join the funeral ceremony of the Parihar brothers as a mark of unity between the two communities.

WHO IS BEHIND THE ATTACK?

The attack is seen as a ‘desperate’ attempt by suspected Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists to carry out an impactful attack in an otherwise calm district after failing to unleash a strike in the valley due to tight security arrangements ahead of panchayat polls, sources in the Central security establishment told The Times of India.

The modus operandi and weapons used to kill Parihar and his brother point to the fact that local terrorists were involved and were possibly assisted by overground workers, TOI reported, quoting intelligence officials.

“Preliminary inquiry suggests that 6-7 Hizbul terrorists had been camping in Kishtwar for past few days. It is a matter of investigation whether they were in Kishtwar to escape the pressure they may be facing in Kashmir due to higher surveillance and deployment of security forces there, or if they had come on a specific mission to kill Parihar. While we are adequately convinced that it was a terror attack and not borne out of any personal vendetta, we are still trying to establish the motive that could be anything from targeting a senior BJP leader to an attempt to divert focus of security forces from Kashmir region to creating a fear psychosis ahead of panchayat polls in J&K.”

Intel sources told TOI

WHY WAS ARMY CALLED IN TO HELP?

Immediately after the attack, people started assembling outside the residence of Parihar and refused entry of senior police officers, who were even manhandled.

The mourners refused to hand over the body to police and did not allow them to gather evidence from the Parihar Mohalla where the two brothers were shot dead.

Kishtwar district magistrate AS Rana made a request to call out the Army in the town and its adjoining areas to control the internal security situation arisen due to “assassination of Anil Parihar and Ajeet Praihar by some militants”.

Rana took the decision as he apprehended that violence might erupt and thus result in law and order problem, endangering life and property of citizens of Kistwar town.

Police had announced curfew in Kishtwar, Doda and Baderwah, besides imposing prohibitory orders, banning assembly of more than four people in Ramban, Banihal, Poonch, Kathua, Rajouri and upper reaches of Gool Gulabgarh.

Kishtwar is communally sensitive and the district had witnessed communal clashes in the past as well. The recent one was in August 2013.

Militants have in the past attempted to create communal tension in the region by targeting Hindu community, especially in higher reaches. In 2001, the terrorists killed 17 Hindu nomads.

This is the first attack on any political leader in the Jammu region in past several years, PTI reported.

HOW HAVE POLITICIANS REACTED?

The killings of Parihar brothers drew severe condemnation from all quarters.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressed shock and pain over the killings, saying the police will leave no stone unturned to bring perpetrators of the crime to justice.

"Shocked and pained by the killing of J&K State BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother. My heart goes out to the bereaved family," he said in a tweet.

The home minister also spoke to K Vijay Kumar, the advisor to the Jammu and Kashmir Governor, and took stock of the incident.

"Spoke to Advisor to J&K Governor, Sh Vijay Kumar regarding the incident. The police will leave no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators to justice," he said.

In a tweet, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said it was a "very sad news" and offered condolences to the families of Parihar brothers.

"Very sad news. My condolences to Anil & Ajit Parihar's family & colleagues. May their souls rest in peace," he said.

BJP general secretary Ashok Koul condemned the attack and called for punishment to the culprits involved in it.

CPI(M) MLA MY Tarigami and state Congress president Gulam Ahmed Mir also condemned the killings of the BJP leader and his brother.

Mir termed the attack "barbaric and unfortunate" and pointed towards the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

National Conference's Jammu province chief Devender Rana strongly condemned the killings as "barbaric, inhuman and most unfortunate".

"Violence has no place in a civilised society," Rana said and hoped that the people will unitedly face the challenge posed by elements inimical to peace and tranquillity.

(With PTI inputs)