Tourist from Tamil Nadu killed in stone-pelting incident in J&K; Mehbooba Mufti says 'my head hangs in shame'

National Conference on Monday held a protest march in Srinagar against 'unabated civilian killings' in Jammu and Kashmir.

J&K CM with family member of tourist from Chennai who suffered injuries in an stone-pelting incident at Narbal bridge on Sringar-Gulmarg road on May 7, 2018 and later died (Pic courtesy: ANI)

Srinagar: A 22-year-old tourist from Tamil Nadu died in Srinagar on Monday when a mob went on the rampage near Narbal on the outskirts of the city.

R Thirumani, a resident of Chennai, suffered head injuries after being hit by a stone during the rampage in the morning, PTI quoted a police official as saying. The tourist was taken to the SKIMS hospital at Soura, where he succumbed to injuries, he added. A case has been registered in the matter.

"My head hangs in shame. It is very sad and heartbreaking", Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said after meeting the family of the tourist.

Jammu & Kashmir: CM Mehbooba Mufti met family member of tourist from Chennai who suffered injuries and later died. The vehicle he was travelling in had come under stone pelting at Narbal bridge on Sringar-Gulmarg road earlier today. pic.twitter.com/N5AIclqr0a

— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2018

Meanwhile, former J&K CM and National Conference working president Omar Abdullah said, "We've killed a tourist by throwing stones at the vehicle he was travelling in. Let's try and wrap our heads around the fact that we stoned a tourist, a guest, to death while we glorify these stone-pelters and their methods."

"I'm also pained to know that among the injured from the stone pelting in Narbal is a young woman from Handwara in north Kashmir. I pray she and the others injured make a quick recovery," he added.

This young man from Chennai died in my constituency & while I don’t support these goons, their methods or their ideology I’m deeply, deeply sorry that this happened at all & that too in an area I’ve been proud to represent since 2014.

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 7, 2018

I’m also pained to know that among the injured from the stone pelting in Narbal is a young woman from Handwara in North Kashmir. I pray she & the others injured make a quick recovery.

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 7, 2018

The J&K Govt has failed, the CM has failed, the BJP-PDP alliance has failed. How much blood will have to be shed in Kashmir before the Hon PM realises the gravity of the situation in J&K? When will enough finally be enough?

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) May 7, 2018

On the other hand, National Conference on Monday held a protest march in Srinagar against "unabated civilian killings" in Kashmir. The march led by party general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar was taken out from the party headquarters to Tourist Reception Centre.

Addressing the protest march, Sagar lashed out at the PDP-BJP government and Mufti. "The CM's singular obsession with power had brought the state to a dangerous precipice of turmoil and alienation. She must be held accountable and should answer for her U-turns and her failure to protect civilian lives. Mere rhetorical statements and customary condemnations cannot absolve the CM or her government of the role in pushing the youth against the wall," he said.

Sagar added that the civilian killings in the Valley were a consequence of how the ruling dispensation had failed to offer hope and empathy to the aggrieved people of the state.

(With PTI inputs)