Congress expresses concern over violence in J-K's communally-sensitive Bhaderwah valley

The Jammu and Kashmir unit of Congress Thursday expressed concerns over the situation in Bhaderwah area of Doda district, where violence erupted over the killing of a person in a firing incident whose kin alleged that he was targeted by cow vigilantes.

Curfew was clamped in the communally-sensitive area after members of a community attacked a police station and damaged several vehicles during a protest against the killing. Internet services too have been blocked.

The Doda district administration, however, ruled out cow vigilantism as the reason behind the murder and said that some people were trying to give communal colour to the incident to flare up the situation.

Expressing concerns over the situation, the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) asked the government to identify the culprits and bring them to book.

"We express grave concern over the situation in Bhaderwah following the killing of one person. The government to identify the culprits and book them under law of the land for award of stern punishment," JKPCC president G A Mir said here.

The Congress also appealed to the people to help maintain communal harmony in the area.

The firing incident took place at around 2 am on Thursday, killing one person and injuring another.

"One person with the name of Nayeem was coming from Chatergala side during midnight. When he reached near Nalthi area, he was killed and another person with him suffered splinter injuries (in a firing incident)," IGP Jammu Zone, M K Sinha told PTI.

Two suspects, who allegedly had opened fire, have been arrested and five others detained, he said.

Although relatives of the deceased have alleged that he was victim of cow vigilantism and was targeted as he was involved in cattle trade, Deputy Commissioner of Doda Sagar Doifode refuted the allegations.

"There is no cow vigilantism involved in this incident. Some people are deliberately giving it a communal colour," Doifode said.