‘Killers won’t be spared’

KOLKATA:People behind the killing of veteran journalist and Rising Kashmir editor Shujaat Bukhari would not be able to escape the law, minister of state (Mos) for home Hansraj Ahir said on Friday.

Condemning the killing of Bukhari, the minister said exemplary action would be taken against those involved in the crime.

“It’s a very sad incident. The Jammu and Kashmir chief minister has already ordered a probe into the matter. The accused will not be able to escape. We will take strict action against the miscreants. Nobody will be spared,” Ahir told reporters here.

Ahir was in the city to preside over a review meeting of Eastern Zone of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

Other agencies like the CRPF, SSB, ED, Drugs Control, as well as police officials from West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand also participated in the meeting.

Veteran journalist and Rising Kashmir newspaper editor Shujaat Bukhari and his personal security officers were shot dead by unidentified gunmen outside the newspaper’s office in the heart of Srinagar on Thursday.

Bukhari, 50-year-old, was leaving his office in Press Enclave in Lal Chowk for an iftar party when he was shot at.

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti said in a message that she was shocked and saddened by Bukhari’s “sudden demise”.

Bukhari had earlier worked with The Hindu newspaper as its Kashmir correspondent.

He was instrumental in organising several conferences for peace in the Kashmir Valley.

He was also part of the Track II process with Pakistan.