Hindustan Times (Chandigarh)

Bhat’s killers must be brought to justice: Kin

- Ravi Krishnan Khajuria ravi.khajuria@htlive.com

JAMMU: Shocked over the barbaric killing of Rahul Bhat inside the tehsil office at Budgam’s Chadoora on Thursday, his father Bitta Jee Bhat, a retired police officer, has sought a high-level probe into how the killers entered a government office and executed the crime.

My son’s killers must be brought to justice, Rahul’s father said.

Rahul was a Kashmiri Pandit, whose family lived in Durga Nagar here ever since it fled Valley in the 90s.

Rahul was appointed under the prime minister’s employment package in 2011 and had since then been living in Sheikupora with his wife Meenakshi and minor daughter Gungun.

His brother Sunny is also serving in the police department. Bitta Jee, who retired as an assistant sub-inspector, was for sometime engaged with the security wing of former National Conference leader Ali Mohammad Sagar.

“I want a thorough investigat­ion into how terrorists entered a government office and shot my son dead. The government talks about rehabilita­ting Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley, but its own Pandit employees are not safe inside government offices,” he said.

As soon as the news of

Rahul’s killing spread in Durga Nagar area, relatives, friends and residents of the locality started arriving at his residence and offered their condolence­s.

“Terrorists gunned down

Rahul inside his office and this administra­tion has been making tall claims of providing a safe and secured atmosphere for the employees belonging to minority community,” said one of the relatives.

Another relative asked the J&K administra­tion to review the situation and take effective measures.

Jammu and Kashmir LG Manoj Sinha has strongly condemned the incident.

“I strongly condemn the barbaric killing of Rahul Bhat by terrorists at Budgam. Those behind this despicable terror attack will not go unpunished. J&K Govt stands in solidarity with the bereaved family in this hour of grief,” he wrote on his Twitter handle.

I want a thorough investigat­ion into how terrorists entered a government office and shot my son dead. BITTA JEE BHAT, father

Rahul Bhat’s

 ?? WASEEM ANDRABI/HT ?? Family members of the slain Kashmiri Pandit grieve outside a hospital in Srinagar on Thursday.
WASEEM ANDRABI/HT Family members of the slain Kashmiri Pandit grieve outside a hospital in Srinagar on Thursday.

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