Kishtiwar on edge

Authorities are leaving nothing to chance in communal sensitive Kishtiwar District of Jammu region, as intelligence feedback has warned of communal backlash after suspected gunmen killed State Secretary of BJP Anil Parihar and his brother Ajit Parihar. Governor’s administration swung into action and suspended internet services and also decided to bring out army for flag march in all the sensitive areas of Kishtiwar to nip the trouble makers at the beginning.

Political activists have been targets in Kashmir Valley and several of them were killed in the recent past including a prominent PDP worker on the outskirts of Srinagar few days back. The killing of BJP leader and his brother has alerted the security agencies in the Jammu region.

J&K State Police Chief Dilbagh Singh has asked the Kishtiwar police brass to identify the killers and book them as soon as possible to restore order in the area. Kishtiwar District Administration has kept army ready to help them to restore order as there were reports of some communal trouble in some highly sensitive areas of Kishtiwar.

Chenab Valley region has lot of fault-lines which have flared-up communal riots in the past also. Apart from 2001 communal riots in which 17 people were killed and property worth crores was damaged, the same region especially in Kishtiwar in 2013, three persons was killed and lot of property was damaged in the communal riots. In the year 2008 also, there were lot of communal riots in this region including in Doda and Bhaderwah. Soon after the killing of BJP leader and his brother there were lot of protests and cry among the BJP supporters to teach other communities a lesson.