Video Editor: Pawan Kumar, Rajbir Singh, & Mohd Irshad Alam
Kashmir has been witnessing a spate of targeted killings since the beginning of the year. Most recently, on 2 June, two targeted attacks took place – a bank manager from Rajasthan, Vijay Beniwal, was shot dead on his office premises, and hours later, two non-local labourers were shot at Magraypora in the Chadoora area of central Kashmir's Budgam district.
One of the non-locals, identified as Dilkhush Kumar from Bihar's Arnia, succumbed to his injuries on the way to the hospital.
A Timeline of the Attacks
On 2 March, an independent panchayat member, Mohammad Yaqoob Dar, was shot dead in the Kulpora village of Kulgam. The police arrested Hizbul Mujahideen militant Raja Nadeen, who they claimed was responsible for the attack. They also said he was assisted by three militant associates, Nasser Wani, Adil Manzoor, and Majid Mohammad.
On 9 March, militants fired at People's Democratic Party (PDP) sarpanch Sameer Ahmad Bhat at his home in Khonmoh on Srinagar's outskirts. The police killed three militants involved in the murder – Adil Teli of Pampore, Shakir Tantray of Shopian, and Yasir Wagay of Kulgam – on March 16.
On 21 March, militants fired at Tajamul Mohiuddin Rather, near his residence in Gothpora area of Budgam in central Kashmir. Rather was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries.
On 12 April, a civilian, Satish Kumar Singh, was shot dead by suspected militants in Kulgam. The police said they killed two militants, including a Pakistani national identified as Haider, in a gunfight in Devsar Kulgam on 8 May, in connection with Singh's killing.
On 15 April, Manzoor Ahmad Bangroo, a sarpanch, was shot dead in Baramulla. On 23 April, police arrested three associates of the attackers – Noor Mohamamad Yatoo, Mohamamd Rafiq, and Ashiq Hussian – in Goshbugh.
On 12 May, Rahul Bhat was killed by terrorists in Kashmir's Chadoora town. He was killed at the Tehsil office, a place safeguarded by security forces.
On 17 May, Ranjit Singh, a resident of Bakra Rajouri, was killed, and three others were injured in a grenade attack at a wine shop in Jammu and Kashmir's (J&K)'s Baramulla district. Police sources said that a militant disguised as a buyer hurled a grenade at the wine shop in Baramulla town, which exploded and injured four persons.
On 25 May, 35-year-old actress Amreen Bhat was shot dead by terrorists at her residence in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam. The J&K Police said that two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists who were involved in the attack had been killed on 27 May.
On 31 May, a teacher, identified as Rajni Bala, was shot dead by militants at a high school in the Gopalpora area of Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam. She received critical gunshot wounds and succumbed to her injuries after being shifted to the hospital.
On 2 June, a bank manager, Vijay Kumar, from Rajasthan was shot on the premises of Elaqahi Dehati Bank in south Kashmir's Kulgam district. Vijay Kumar was rushed to a hospital in a critical condition but succumbed to his injuries on the way.
On 2 June, hours after Vijay Kumar's killing, two non-local labourers were shot at Magraypora in the Chadoora area of central Kashmir's Budgam district. One of them, identified as Dilkhush Kumar from Bihar's Arnia, succumbed to his injuries at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital.
Protests Erupt
After the recent spate of killings, government employees belonging to the Hindu community staged protests demanding that they be transferred to a different location. They also refused to join their duties in Kashmir.
Kashmiri Pandit employees, appointed under the Prime Minister’s employment package, staged a protest at Press Colony in Srinagar seeking their safety and relocation outside the Valley. The protesters were part of the 4,000 Kashmiri Pandits, who have been living in transit camps in various parts of the Valley after they were given government jobs under the special package.
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