SRINAGAR: As suspected militants looted over Rs 6 lakhs from two banks and snatched five rifles from policemen in south Kashmir, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday asked youth to work for prosperity of the State and help the help the government in stopping destruction.
“I appeal youth that Jammu and Kashmir belongs to them and it is their land. The youth should work for progress and prosperity of the state and help government in stopping destruction,” Mehbooba told reporters in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district after visiting families of two bank guards and four policemen killed in militant attack recently.
Five policemen and two bank guards were killed in militant attack on J&K Bank cash van in south Kashmir on Monday.
Mehbooba, whose demand for talks with separatist leaders has been rejected by central government, said people and society should introspect where they are heading for.
“We are witnessing killings and bank dacoities,” she said adding nothing will be achieved from the violence.
Sharing the pain and grief of the families of slain bank guard and policeman, Mehbooba said these personnel were on duty to protect and disburse public money and their killing reflects the dangerous criminalisation turn the society is taking.
She said the bank guards and policemen laid their lives for preserving public money and their sacrifices won’t be allowed to go waste.
“The victim families would be duly looked after and every help and assistance would be provided to them by the government,” she said.
She appealed people, particularly civil society and youth, to rise against this dangerous trend of looting of public money by spilling innocent blood, thereby giving Kashmir a terribly bad name in the civilized world.
Kashmir has been on edge after killing of eight civilians in security forces firing during by-polls to Srinagar parliamentary seat on April 9. The seat witnessed only 7.3 per cent polling.
After poll violence and low voter turnout, the Election Commission has cancelled by-polls to Anantnag parliamentary seat, which was scheduled to be held on May 25.
The tension in Kashmir has escalated after students protests on April 17. The students were protesting against April 15 security forces raid on a college in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district during which over 50 students were injured.
Since April 17, there have been regular students’ protests in the Valley. Even the female students participated in the protests and indulged in stone pelting on the cops. Due to these protests, authorities had to close educational institutions for some days in the Valley.