Killing of Non Locals

In another gruesome act of terror a non-local Raja Shah of Bihar has been shot dead in Jablipora, Bijbehara area of Anantnag by terrorists. He was a snack vendor earning his livelihood in Kashmir. He was shot at his residence. He had bullet wounds on his neck and abdomen. The assailants fled from the spot after committing the crime. Though he was shifted to a local hospital where he was declared brought dead. Police and Security Forces have launched the search to trace the terrorists responsible for the targeted killing. Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Manoj Sinha has condemned the terror attack and said that the assailants will be nabbed and they will pay a heavy price. He also said that the elements that are aiding and abetting the terrorists will be crushed. Targeted killings in Kashmir have been the strategy of the terrorists for a considerable period now. The aim is to create a fear psychosis among the non –locals who are in Kashmir or who intend to be in Kashmir for their livelihood. It is a deliberate move to destabilise the atmosphere of relative peace that Kashmir has been witnessing for some time. These killings are also meant to send a message to the local Kashmiris. So that they don’t enable the non –locals to be an integral part of the business and economy in Kashmir . Amid these grave challenges Kashmiris have been able to welcome the non locals in their society and thus invest in peace. As this is the election time and the patrons of these war mongers will try their level best to disrupt the peace in the valley. There is an urgent need to sensitise the common masses about the pitfalls of such incidents in the long run. Kashmir cannot afford to lose the ground to terrorism again. As not only time and money has been wasted in bringing life to some level of normalcy but numerous innocent lives have been lost in Kashmir. That includes the local youth. Kashmir cannot allow itself to be reduced to a graveyard. Both society and the administration need to act collectively and defeat these fissiparous tendencies. A multi-pronged strategy is needed to defeat terrorism at all fronts. Armed forces are doing a commendable job at the borders by securing the borders from the enemies of the nation. But internal security needs improvement. The non –locals are indeed losing confidence by these targeting killings in Kashmir. Their confidence has to be regained so that there is no negative word of mouth about the situation in Kashmir. For this the internal security has to be upgraded so that these targeted killings are pre-empted. Jammu and Kashmir is perhaps the only police force in the country that has an immense experience in dealing with the exceptional situation of ethno-religious conflict that has eclipsed Jammu and Kashmir for more than three decades now. It gives the Jammu and Kashmir Police an added advantage to deal with this challenge. Time has come that the Jammu and Kashmir Police with the help of the para military forces constitutes a team or cell that exclusively works to neutralise the targeted killings of non-locals in Kashmir. This cell must incorporate the expertise of the intelligence agencies so that it leads to a comprehensive mechanism to defeat this threat of life to non –locals in Kashmir. Mere condemnation is not enough. Pro-active policy to stop targeting killings in Kashmir is the need of the hour.