Not behind the killings: LeT
Following a series of civilian killings by unidentified gunmen in North Kashmir’s Hajin town, angry locals have urged LeT militants, whom the police hold responsible, to come clear and clarify if they are responsible for the deaths.
Responding to the call, LeT on Friday night issued an audio statement on social media denying their involvement in the deaths.
Since April 4, Hajin has witnessed six civilian killings.
Mohd Yaqoob Wagay, a butcher by profession, was brutally killed allegedly by a group of men who barged into his house on Thursday night and slit his throat in front of his family.
On May 17, Hilal Ahmad Parray, a painter, was abducted, tortured and then allegedly strangulated by a group of gunmen.
Police have blamed LeT militants led by a local Saleema Parray for all the killings.
“Please be assured that Mujahideen are your brothers and till our last breath we will fight the enemy and never kill any innocent Muslim. We condemn the killings of Hilal and Yaqoob. Soon, we will find who is behind these and they will be taken to task. Of late, India has been trying to create rift between people and Mujahideen in Kashmir,” the audio statement said. The statement was silent regarding the other four killings.
“There is a fear among people. Nobody is telling us what is happening. Locals have urged the militants through loudspeakers in mosques if they are behind the murders. But they have issued a denial,” said a local resident over phone.
Hajin was shut on Saturday with shops closed and traffic off the roads. Hundreds of people marched on the streets from Prang towards police station Hajin, demanding punishment for the killers.
Superintendent of police, Bandipora, Sheikh Zulfikar Azad said all the six killings were done by militants on allegations that they were passing information to the forces. “These were civilians and it is not true that they were passing any information. Today, people came to us and we assured them that the investigation into the killings will be carried out properly,” he said.
SRINAGAR: