Target Killings Return To Kashmir; Omar Abdullah Says Situation Not Normal In Valley

Kashmir is witnessing a return of target killings with three major incidents of violence taking place in the last few days. A Jammu and Kashmir Police officer was shot dead by terrorists in the Kralpora village of Baramulla in North Kashmir making it the third attack in three days.

The whole Kralpora Village has turned into a mourning ground after the death of the constable. According to the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Constable Ghulam Mohammed Dar was shot dead by terrorists near his residence. He was taken to the hospital soon after the attack but was declared dead by the doctors. Eyewitnesses said five bullets were shot at him by the terrorists.  

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Ghulam Mohammed Dar is survived by seven daughters and all of them are unable to come to terms with the killing of their father. One of the daughters of the Police officer was to be married soon. Hundreds of people are gathering to pay their tribute to the cop.

"He was the lone breadwinner in the family. He had been working with the Police department for the last 25 years and had served in every district and was a very noble soul. Targeting innocents is wrong. They were preparing for the wedding of his daughter,'' said a neighbour.

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah condemned the attacks and hoped that these targeted killings would stop. "We regret these attacks, it shouldn't have happened in the first place. While condemning these attacks, we also want to tell the government at least speak the truth about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir," said Abdullah.

Abdullah further said, "Repeatedly, we hear from the government that the situation is very peaceful, the situation has changed in J&K and every time the government issue these statements, these target attacks resurface, sometimes they target policemen and sometimes civilians, we know the situation isn't normal and why the government is trying to misguide the people that is to be answered by them."

On Sunday, there was one more attack on a Jammu and Kashmir Police Inspector in Srinagar's Eidgah area. Inspector Masroor Ahmad was seriously injured in the attack and is still battling for his life in Kashmir's tertiary hospital. He was playing cricket on one of the grounds in the Eidgah area when terrorists came and shot him at point-blank range with a pistol.

“The enemy wants to create violence here in the Valley. We have lost so many people in the era of violence. The incidents that have taken place recently must be seen from the same prism. Since the terrorists are failing, they cannot see peace returning to the valley. These incidents indicate that they don't want peace to prevail here. We are working hard to completely stop all kinds of violence in the valley,'' said former DGP of J&K Police Dilbagh Singh.

On the same day, terrorists also shot dead a non-local labourer in Nowpora village of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. It's after a year, that there is a series of target killings and attacks taking place in the Kashmir Valley. This once again has raised new security concerns and challenges for the forces.