J&K police identify militants behind killing of Abohar trader
Say the same group is likely to have killed R’sthan trucker, release ultras’ photos
A fruit trader from Punjab remained in critical condition in hospital on Thursday after he was shot and wounded by suspected militants who killed an associate of his in south Kashmir’s Shopian district in the latest attack on people associated with the fruit business, one of the mainstays of the local economy.
Meanwhile, the police released pictures of the two top Hizbul Mujahideen militants in Shopian who they suspect were responsible for killing a truck driver from Rajasthan earlier in the week.
Unidentified gunmen targeted two fruit traders from Abohar in Punjab at Trenz, seven kilometres from Shopian town, on Wednesday night, killing Charanjit Singh on the spot and wounding Sanjay Kumar, who was admitted in Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital in a critical state.
“Kumar had bullet injuries in his chest and is on a ventilator and continues to be critical,’’ said the medical superintendent of SMHS Hospital, Nazir Choudhary.
It was the first attack on fruit traders from outside Jammu and Kashmir. The fruit trade is one of the mainstays of the Kashmiri economy and several attacks have taken on people associated with it in the aftermath of the Centre’s August 5 decision to strip the state of its special status and divide it into two Union territories -- J&K and Ladakh.
Singh and Kumar had been in south Kashmir from some time in connection with the fruit business. “There is every possibility that the latest attack could be handiwork of militants who killed the [truck] driver from Rajasthan,’’ said a police officer, pleading anonymity.
J&K DGP Dilbag Singh, who visited Shopian and chaired a high-level meeting, told reporters that the police had identified the militants behind the attack and they would be neutralised. He identified the militants as Salman Bhai, a Pakistani, Naveed and Raheel Magray. “One of the militants had even gone to the fruit orchards asking the growers not to pluck their fruit,” said the DGP who asked the army, CRPF and police officers to safeguard fruit growers and trucks.
FEROZEPUR: The body of Charanjit Singh, 35, an employee with a fruit trader, arrived at his home in Abohar’s Sarabha Nagar about 10pm on Thursday, a day after suspected militants gunned him down in Shopian on Wednesday. The body was airlifted to Amritsar from Shopian and reached the town by road.
The family has demanded compensation and a government job from the local administration. Charanjit had been visiting Srinagar in connection with the trade for the past eight years.
His brother said they had warned him against visiting the Valley in view of the volatile situation there after the revocation of Article 370. This time, Sanjeev, 23, a nephew of owner of the business, Surinder Charya, had also accompanied him. Sanjeev, who had entered the trade two years ago, was also injured in the attack and is critical at a Pulwama hospital. “We had repeatedly pleaded with Charanjit to not visit Srinagar this time in view of the volatile situation there due to the revocation of Article 370, but he did not listen,” said his brother, Rakesh Singh, adding, “I had spoken with him on Wednesday morning. He told me everything was fine.” On Thursday, Abohar SDM Poonam Singh was among a host of local administrative personnel and residents who visited the house of Charanjit. He is survived by an 8-year-old son and wife. His body was expected to arrive at his house about 9pm on Thursday and the cremation is scheduled for 10am on Friday.
The local traders’ association sought safety of traders who had to visit the Valley. “After the revocation of Article 370, the Centre had claimed that peace is prevailing in the state. If, however, such incidents continue to happen, we will be forced to stop sending traders from Punjab region to the Valley,” claimed Inder Sharma, a trader.
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