BJP calls for probe into rising terrorism in J-K's Kishtwar

The BJP on Wednesday called for a thorough probe into rising cases of terrorism in communally-sensitive Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district that was declared terror free over a decade ago.

The district witnessed four killings, including that of a senior BJP leader and an RSS functionary, and two weapons snatching incidents in the last one year.

"The Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded a thorough probe into the conspiracy of reviving terrorism in this area (Kishtwar) which was declared terror-free about a decade ago," J-K BJP spokesperson Brig Anil Gupta told reporters here.

While appreciating the decision of the home ministry to hand over the investigation of terror-related cases in the district to the National Investigation Agency, Brig Gupta said the work done by J-K police in busting the over ground network and arresting a few of the active over ground workers is laudable.

"By handing over the case to NIA, it is now expected that all loopholes will be plugged and blanks filled to unearth the conspiracy to revive terrorism in this belt, which had relatively remained calm despite grave provocations by communal elements active in the area," he said.

The BJP leader said that the conspiracy is deep rooted and had the sinister aim of creating fear among the minorities in order to force another migration.

"Those arrested so far, constitute only a few of the culprits while the big fish has avoided arrest so far. The network includes many active politicians and ex-government officials. Another angle that needs to be investigated is the involvement of Jammat-e-Islami and Pakistan," Brig Gupta asserted.

The killing of highprofile Hindu leaders clearly substantiates the suspicion of suppressing nationalist voices and planned ethnic cleansing by anti-national forces enjoying political patronage, he alleged.

Three hardcore terrorists, including Osama, who was the brain behind the revival of militancy in the district, were killed in an encounter with security forces at Batote along Jammu-Kishtwar highway in September.

Earlier on September 23, Jammu Inspector General of Police Mukesh Singh had said that all the four cases of killings and weapon snatching in Kishtwar district were solved with the arrest of three Hizbul Mujahideen militants.

Senior BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother Ajit Parihar were killed in Kishtwar town on November 1, 2018, while RSS functionary Chanderkant Sharma and his protective service officer (PSO) were assassinated on April 9.

Terrorists snatched the service rifle of the deputy commissioner's PSO Daleep Kumar on March 8 and the rifle of PSO of People's Democratic Party's district president Sheikh Nasir Hussain on September 13.