Two girls shot dead in Kashmir

[EagleEyes]

Lashkar has never accepted responsibility of any attacks on civilians. They are a terrorist organisation, not accountable to anyone.

The silence of separatist leaders, the lack of any protests there is a good indication who is responsible.

Its been that way, Indian officers have never taken responsibility of killing civilians either.

It is sad that Kashmiri people have to deal with the mess both countries have created by being unable to come up with a solution on Kashmir.

 

[EagleEyes]

Anyway, Nice to see thread getting open. .

There is no censorship, its just that it is hard to moderate.

 

[KS]

The Chairman of the Kashmir-based People's Conference, Sajjad Lone, has refused to directly comment on the silence of separatists with regard to the killing of two young Kashmiri girls allegedly by the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba in Sopore on Monday.

He termed the killing of girls as dastardly and cowardly, but said: "I can speak for myself. I would put my condemnation on record that it is a dastardly act, a cowardly act and it is reprehensible. I share utter contempt for such acts of violence and my condolence is with the family of the deceased. I can understand what must be going on in that family".

Surprisingly, in the same breath, Lone made an odious comparison.

He said: "We had 120 kids killed last year during street protests. There was a similar muted response from your leaders (read Indian leadership)". So, I think it's the same."

"It's very wrong to equate killings, A killing is a killing, a murder, and, we need to condemn all such killings, taking a political color out of it," he added.

Separatists, including both factions of the Hurriyat and the JKLF last year led the four-month-long street protests characterized by stone pelting. More than 120 Kashmiri youth were killed in the bloody street battles with security forces. The agitation led to an estimated loss of over 10,000 crore rupees to the exchequer.
...........

..................

Talking to ANI, Lone said: "Most of the separatists are out of the valley this time. Mirwaiz is out, Yasin is out. I don't think anyone of them is condoning these acts of violence."

And that last bit about ANI learning that Yasin is at Lone's residence... it's all heresy till proven.

I agree with Sajjad --- let us condemn all killings.

But why there are no protests, no stone pelting this time ?? No news from Andrabi,Geelani, Yasin malik (wherever he is, it doesnt take much to give a press interview).

But contrast it to the Shopian killings (again allegedly by Indian Sec forces). What happened - huge rallies, deafening slogans. After the death of Tufail Matoo - accidently by a tear gas shell - four months of arson and violence.

But not now - is not the pattern clear ?? Whenever there is an alleged killing by sec.forces all hell breakes loose, but if by 'freedom fighters' everything goes on as if nothing happened.

Pardon me for being blunt ---- but these incidents give a perception that Kashmiris know only language - language of the gun.

And given the deafening silence on this ,how do you expect ordinary Indians to sympathise with the Kashmiris when they complain about Sec. Force's violations ??

BTW I appreciate re-opening he thread - these things need to be debated,albeit in a civil manner, and cannot be wished away.

 

[notsuperstitious]

Its been that way, Indian officers have never taken responsibility of killing civilians either.

It is sad that Kashmiri people have to deal with the mess both countries have created by being unable to come up with a solution on Kashmir.

Many Indian security personnel and officers have been found guilty and punished. However thats not the point, as I do not support civilians being targetted by either party.

 

[arihant]

Its been that way, Indian officers have never taken responsibility of killing civilians either.

It is sad that Kashmiri people have to deal with the mess both countries have created by being unable to come up with a solution on Kashmir.

This time allegation is by Father. He must have given info about person who kidnapped his daughters.

Moreover, Police has some information about two person while one is foreigner.

Moreover, we here dealing with J&K Police and not CRPF.

And about Indian officer killing civilians. If any killed by them knowingly, we all Indians condem it and each such personel should be punished severly. And those killings in violent protest is mostly due to hurriyat. Although CRPF can't get away with such statement.

 

[ajtr]

YouTube - 2 sisters shot dead by Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists in Jammu & Kashmir

 

[TaimiKhan]

Dont post 2 year old news further your agenda. It is highly disrespecting to the deceased souls.

May the RR soon send the freedom fighters who were responsible for this to the place they deserve - 6 feet below the ground.

And what if by chance real investigation is done and they come out to be your own security forces doing, then what ? ?

Let me answer, nothing, its their right to do, since they have been doing for past so many years, with 60K+ already sent down to those graves.

 

[LaBong]

And what if by chance real investigation is done and they come out to be your own security forces doing, then what ? ?

Let me answer, nothing, its their right to do, since they have been doing for past so many years, with 60K+ already sent down to those graves.

Then they will be tried according to Indian Penal Code, as many of them already have been tried.

 

[Elmo]

@ KS

Okay, I hate to say this but in Pakistan when the TTP does something or at times doesn't even do it, it's always ready to take responsibility. So it's really a very weak example. The dynamics certainly won't be the same in LeT's case.

More importantly, I am not disregarding what the Indian officers are saying, but you cannot bring in Pakistan into it. It has to be a bit more substantial than that.

No reaction means nothing. Innocent till proven guilty, so why involve bring single Kashmiri freedom fighter under the umbrella of LeT and think that LeT's behaviour/thinking reflects that of every single freedom fighter. those two are mutually exclusive.

The constant demand for the leaders to condemn the murders of the two young girls, and then bringing in examples of other incidents where the same leaders have been vocal -- I do not agree with that. It's politicising an issue. May be it's been done repeatedly in the past, they don't need to do it again.

More than an ordinary citizen of India, it will be the Kashmiri who was her brother, father, aunt, mother, uncle, kith and kin, neighbour, and every other person who knew them who would be going through a painful time. It's about justice and not finding escape goats. This needs to be investigated further, the men nabbed and a trial conducted.

 

[KS]

And what if by chance real investigation is done and they come out to be your own security forces doing, then what ? ?

Let me answer, nothing, its their right to do, since they have been doing for past so many years, with 60K+ already sent down to those graves.

I will quote what Omar Abdullah said ;

"I think this in itself brings out the contradictions that exist in Kashmir because if there was even the slightest of indication that these deaths have been the result of high handedness of security forces, today, the whole Valley would have erupted in flames. But because these killings were by the militants, the condemnation is muted or the condemnation does not come at all," he said

And please give an eye to what the murdered girl's father had to say. The video has been posted a few posts above.

 

[Elmo]

Then they will be tried according to Indian Penal Code, as many of them already have been tried.

Fair enough. Find them first and have a trial. That's a right of every single sovereign state nation.

But don't consider it to be refelctive of other Kashmiris who have been struggling and would condemn this act.

 

[SpArK]

Sopore killings evoke widespread condemnation​

UMER MAQBOOL DAR/GHULAM MUHAMMAD
SmallerDefaultLarger

Sopore, Feb 1: Unidentified gunmen killing two sisters in this north Kashmir town on Monday night has sent shudders across the entire area. The killings have evoked widespread condemnation from various sections of the society including mainstream political parties and the separatists.

Pertinently, two sisters- Arifa and Akhter - were killed at Takia Bal after being abducted from their house in Muslim Peer locality of the Apple Town.

As the word about the killings spread in the area, scores of people assembled in the house of victims. No one wanted to talk with fear writ on their faces.

They were anxiously waiting for the bodies which were handed over to the relatives late in the night.

Hundreds of people from Takia Bal and other adjoining areas participated in the funeral prayers of the victims this morning.

After the duo was laid to rest their mother Sharifa Begum mustered some courage to narrate what happened on Monday night. “Three veiled gunmen barged into our house at 8:30 pm and asked for my daughters, saying that they need to talk with them. We pleaded before them to talk to them inside the house, but they didn’t listen and took them away,” she said.

“We were shocked when we heard gunshots after an hour from the nearby locality,” she said.

Naza Begum, a relative of the deceased, said, “The men were speaking Kashmiri and Urdu. Police handed over the bodies to us late in the night.”

Police said the sisters were shot at from close range. “Akhter had two bullet injuries in the head while Arifa had four bullet injuries on the body,” a police official said.

Shattered by death of his daughters, Ghulam Nabi, who would eke out living by working as labourer was asking everybody who turned up at his two room house that he desired to see his daughters married.

“How unfortunate am I that I have to carry the coffins of my daughters at this age,” he said.

Dar said that he was in Masjid when gunmen barged into his house.
“I cannot blame anybody for the killings. I want to know why my daughters were killed?” he asked.

Hailing from a poor family of Muslim Peer area, Arifa and Akther could not continue studies due to poverty. Their brother Ghulam Geelani studies in class 10th.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Inspector General of Police, SM Sahai, said that “militants killed the sisters.”

“We are figuring out the motive behind the killings,” he said.

Superintendent of Police, Sopore, Altaf Ahmed Khan said that the girls were not linked to any agency. “They were innocent and not remotely connected with any agency. This is gruesome incident which needs to be condemned vehemently at every fora,” he said.

He said that police have registered a murder and abduction case against the militants.

CONDEMNATION

The killings have evoked widespread condemnation from cross section of people, including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Hurriyat Conference (G).

Speaking on the sidelines of the Chief Ministers’ Conference on Internal Security in New Delhi, Omar said “I find it difficult to understand. Under these circumstances, I doubt anybody would have guts to stand up and say they did it and why they did it.”

“I think this in itself brings out the contradictions that exist in Kashmir because if there was even the slightest of indication that these deaths have been the result of high handedness of forces, the whole Valley would have erupted in flames. But because these killings were by the militants, the condemnation is muted or the condemnation does not come at all,” he said.

Omar said reaction of the people is also muted which he thought was “unfortunate”.

In an apparent dig at separatist leaders, Omar said, “If you can’t condemn the killing of these two girls, irrespective of your political beliefs and do so without qualifying it, then shame on you.”

The Hurriyat Conference (G) led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani has termed the killing of two sisters a heinous crime.


“No Muslim can tolerate the barbaric killings. Whatever the reason, killing of the two sisters of Sopore can’t be justified. The freedom lovers can’t remain silent over the killings and we strongly condemn the inhuman act,” Akbar said.


Coming down heavily on the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, Akbar said the State Government has been at forefront of “rewarding the cops and soldiers for killing innocent Kashmiris to suppress their right to self-determination.”

Chairman of Peoples Conference Sajjad Gani Lone has termed the killings of two sisters as dastardly act.

“It is imperative that society stops searching justification for such murders. A murder is a murder and must be unequivocally condemned,” he said, in a statement issued here.

The chairman of Democratic Liberation Party Hashim Qureshi has demanded an impartial probe into the murder of innocent girls and exemplary punishment to the killers.

Senior Congress leader Abdul Gani Vakil has demanded thorough probe in the incident. He said no religion permits innocent killings especially Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has categorically prohibited killing of a woman, child and old aged human being in a war also.

Minister of State for Roads and Buildings, Javed Ahmad Dar, on the directions of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, visited the house of Ghulam Nabi Dar of Muslim Peer Sopore to condole the death of his two daughters. He also paid ex-gratia to the next of the kin of the victims.


Sopore killings evoke widespread condemnation Lastupdate:- Wed, 2 Feb 2011 18:30:00 GMT GreaterKashmir.com

 

[TaimiKhan]

Then they will be tried according to Indian Penal Code, as many of them already have been tried.

Then find the real culprits, ask your countrymen to not shot arrows in the dark and hope it sticks at the heads of LeT.

First fully investigate and then say this was done by these guys or that guys.

 

[Awesome]

anything else but not a p@ki, that wud b the worst insult one can get.

Have a nice life

 

[KS]

@ KS

Okay, I hate to say this but in Pakistan when the TTP does something or at times doesn't even do it, it's always ready to take responsibility. So it's really a very weak example. The dynamics certainly won't be the same in LeT's case.

More importantly, I am not disregarding what the Indian officers are saying, but you cannot bring in Pakistan into it. It has to be a bit more substantial than that.

Exactly LeT is a bit different - they dont claim civilian killings because then they will loose the very little support they have among some Kashmiris.

But I brought in TTP to say since the crimes has taken place in Indian territory it will obviously be an Indian officer confirming this.

No reaction means nothing. Innocent till proven guilty, so why involve bring single Kashmiri freedom fighter under the umbrella of LeT and think that LeT's behaviour/thinking reflects that of every single freedom fighter. those two are mutually exclusive.

Does this 'innocent until proven guilty' hold true for Indian sec forces also?? Or only for 'Freedom fighters'.

Anyway I find this ridiculous since the father of the girls himself has said that they were indeed militants, two of them who were locals and one of them Pakistani.

The constant demand for the leaders to condemn the murders of the two young girls, and then bringing in examples of other incidents where the same leaders have been vocal -- I do not agree with that. It's politicising an issue. May be it's been done repeatedly in the past, they don't need to do it again.

Sorry I dont buy this - it is the fear of the bullet that is shutting their mouths. They obviously dont want to meet the same fate as Mirwaiz Farooq or Abdul Ahad Wani or Abdul Gani Lone.

And dont you see a pattern - if it is the Indian Sec forces who are alleged, then all hell breaks loose, but if it is by the militants then everything is deafeningly quiet.

More than an ordinary citizen of India, it will be the Kashmiri who was her brother, father, aunt, mother, uncle, kith and kin, neighbour, and every other person who knew them who would be going through a painful time. It's about justice and not finding escape goats. This needs to be investigated further, the men nabbed and a trial conducted.

Men nabbed and trial conducted ?? You must be kidding. If they are caught, I hope the RR apportion the justice they deserve - a bullet in between the eyes.