Lashkar and Hizbul deny role in Bukhari’s murder

Two militant groups on Friday denied having any role in the murder of journalist Shujaat Bukhari and demanded an independent probe of his death in Srinagar.

“The killing of Shujaat Bukhari at a time when the UN human rights Commission released a report on human rights abuses by Indian forces in Kashmir raises many questions,” said Syed Salahuddin, head of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and the United Jehad Council.

Salahuddin, who is based in Pakistan and issued a statement to media in Srinagar, was referring to a UN report that on Thursday accused Indian and Pakistani security forces of using excessive force in both sides of Kashmir and of killing and wounding civilians since 2016. It called for an international inquiry into alleged violations. India rejected the report.

A spokesperson for the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group quoted its chief Mahmood Shah as saying that Bukhari’s murder was a “conspiracy” as “Indian agencies have enmity towards every individual who is loyal to the freedom movement”.

Shah alleged that India “is keen to killing every individual who is vocal about the indigenous freedom struggle and India’s atrocities.”

“The killing of Shujat Bukhari is also a wrongdoing of India’s secret agencies which is a highly condemnable act,” said Shah.

Bukhari, 48, was assassinated when three bike-borne youth opened fire on him just outside the office of Rising Kashmir, the newspaper he edited, on Thursday evening.

CHECKPOINT ATTACKED Two policement and three civilians were injured when suspected militants opened fire on a security checkpoint in Srinagar on Friday afternoon.

Police said that the militants opened fire on a police party near Dental College at Kaka Sarai in Old City Srinagar.

“The party was doing their dutyat a security checkpoint when they were fired upon. Two policemen have been injured as three civilians also sustained some injuries,” an official manning police control room in Kashmir said on the condition of anonymity.

The injured policement have been identified as head constable Habibullah, who is in a critical condition and special police officer Vilayat.

SRINAGAR:

HT English newspaper Rising Kashmir hit the stands on Friday with a tribute to its murdered editorinchief Shujaat Bukhari, on its front page with a message that said it would not be cowed down.