Srinagar, Dec 05: National Conference president and Union minister Omar Abdullah today condemned the killing of brother of slain Jammu and Kashmir law minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone and said his party workers had become "sitting ducks" for militants under the Mufti Sayeed government. Expressing shock over the tragic incident of militants gunning down Ghulam Mohiuddin Lone alias Kaka Lone at Sogam in North Kashmir, Omar said that the new state government had been "deliberately" cutting down on the security of his party workers despite the fact that they were "the most wanted lot by the militants."

"The fact that militants have been after us for long was enough a problem for us but now it is coupled by the vindictive nature of the new state government, whose decisions have reduced my party workers to sitting ducks for militants to come and kill," Omar said. Claiming that several of his senior party leaders had been deprived of security, Omar said "today's incident of gunning down of lone is a glaring example to substantiate" his charge.

The National Conference president said that he had extended all necessary help to the new state government for its pro-people policies but "it seems the policies of new government were not only anti-people but also anti-national conference centric." Former chief minister Farooq Abdullah also condemned the incident and said it was a the real face of the "unilateral ceasefire announced by a militant group."

Bureau Report