People's Democracy

JAMMU & KASHMIR

Shopian Killings Have No Justification: CPI(M)

THROUGH a statement issued from Srinagar on September 10, the CPI(M)’s Jammu & Kashmir state secretary Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said, in regard to the recent Shopian incident, that the police declaration that three out of four persons killed in Gagrain shootout were civilians, vindicated the people’s contention in Shopian town. These killings are heinous and condemnable. As such, the anger in the area was justifiable and in no way should be deemed baseless.

Tarigami said these killings were totally unwarranted and such heinous crimes are unacceptable in a civilised society. He strongly condemned this gruesome incident which took precious lives of civilians.

The CPI(M) leader demanded that the government must now swiftly act, and act firmly, to identify the culprits and book them under law. The swift action on part of the government is also important as the same will send a message across that such type of incidents are not acceptable at any cost. He demanded an open apology from the government as well, on the issue.

He further said a judicial inquiry should be ordered into the incident so as to bring facts to the fore. Warning that curfew and arrests are no solution to the problem, Tarigami said Shopian has suffered much during all these years of the turmoil. The government must talk to the people’s representatives in Shopian, besides the district bar association and members of the civil society on the issue.

He also demanded that the curfew and curbs in Shopian district and elsewhere must be lifted forthwith as people there are immensely suffering due to acute shortage of food and other essential supplies.  Not only are the patients facing immense problems due to the unavailability of life saving drugs; peasants and horticulturists too are not able to attend to their fields or orchards in this important cropping season. The government must immediately provide ex gratia relief to the next of kin of the deceased youth and jobs too on compassionate grounds. 

Expressing his sense of extreme pain and grief over the loss of precious lives in the incident, Tarigami extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and expressed solidarity with them at this time of grief and mourning.