J&K : LG, CM, and others condemn killing of non-local worker
A day after a non-local worker was shot dead by militants, there has been widespread condemnation.
Srinagar: A day after a non-local worker was shot dead by militants, there has been widespread condemnation.
Ashok Chouhan,30, hailing from the Banka district of Bihar, was shot dead by unidentified militants in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district on Friday. His bullet-ridden body was recovered from the Wachi area of Shopian.
The killing of the non-local came two days after Omar took oath as the Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that security forces are determined to hunt down the culprits and bring them to justice.
“I strongly condemn the brutal killing of a vendor Ashok Chauhan in Shopian by cowardly terrorists. The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with his family. Our security forces are determined to hunt down the culprits and bring them to justice,” Sinha said in a post on X.
He added that he has directed the Jammu Kashmir Police and District Administration to extend all the support.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack.
“Very sorry to hear about the death of Ashok Chouhan at the hands of militants in South Kashmir. These attacks are abhorrent and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. I send my condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased,” Omar said in a post on X.
The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) President Tariq Karra termed the incident as most unfortunate and shocking.
“Killings in any form are highly condemnable and unacceptable. Such incidents must be stopped in the larger interest of peace and safety of common people,” Karra said.
The BJP Kashmir unit strongly condemned the attack.
“The killing of an innocent man who was earning his livelihood reflects the desperation of terrorists to create fear and disrupt peace in the valley,” Sajid Yousuf Shah, BJP Media In charge Kashmir said. “The cold-blooded murder of Ashok Chauhan is a reprehensible act of cowardice that seeks to destabilize the harmony in Jammu and Kashmir.”
The BJP Media In charge Kashmir said that such “acts will only strengthen our resolve to root out terrorism from our land.”
Since the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019, militants have regularly targeted non-local workers and minority members in the Valley. These attacks significantly increased in 2021 and 2022.
This year, four non-locals have been killed by militants in three different attacks in Kashmir.
