Daughter refuses to leave Kashmir despite Sarpanch father’s killing

New Delhi: On Tuesday, a Kashmiri Pandit, who was a Sarpanch, was killed in Jammu-Kashmir. A wave of anger is spreading in the country over the incident. As per analysts, this killing was to demotivate Kashmiri pandits from returning to the valley. But the family members of the slain Sarpanch have emphatically stated that they will not fear the terrorists and denied the possibility of them leaving the valley.

Ajay Pandita, Sarpanch of Lukbawan village in Lakripora area, of Anantnag district, was shot dead outside his home. He was receiving death threats from terrorists, since the last few days. Pandita was working without paying any heed to the threats. The terrorist organisation ‘The Resistance Front’ (TRF) has accepted the responsibility for Pandita’s killing.

Severe reactions are being received from around the country over the brutal killing. Ajay Pandita’s daughter, Sheena Pandita, said that her father was a Sarpanch of a small village, asking why did the terrorists target him, she accused that he was killed only for being a Kashmiri pandit. Sheena stated emphatically ‘I am not scared of Terrorists. I am not scared of anything. Kashmir is my homeland and no one can stop us from returning to Kashmir.’ Her courage is being applauded from all over the country.

In the 1990 decade, terrorists carried out mass killings of Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu-Kashmir and perpetrated tremendous atrocities against them. Thousands of Kashmiri pandits were forced to migrate to other parts of the country. Even today, thousands of Kashmiri pandits are living the lives of refugees. Following the abrogation of article 370, the resettlement of Kashmiri pandits back in Kashmir has gained momentum. There is a proposal for the creation of separate settlements for these returning Kashmiri pandits.

Ajay Pandita, along with his family had returned to Kashmir in 1996 itself. His family members had repeatedly told him that instead of living in a dangerous atmosphere, they should leave Kashmir and settle somewhere else. But he had always refused. He even contested the Sarpanch elections last year. Ajay Pandita was tirelessly making efforts for the return of Kashmiri pandits to the valley. It is claimed that this is the reason behind the killing of Ajay Pandita. This is looked at as a conspiracy to demotivate Kashmiri pandits from returning to the valley. Following the killing of Ajay Pandita, Sarpanches of other villages have demanded security from the government.

In recent times, a large number of terrorists have been eliminated from Jammu-Kashmir. The terrorist organisations, weakened by the actions taken by the security forces, are trying to demonstrate their strength by killing a Sarpanch. But the victim is a local citizen, the cooperation given by the locals to the security forces has increased.

Currently, the situation of the terrorist organisations and separatists is miserable in Kashmir. Terrorists are being killed in large numbers. Analysts claim that the terrorists are trying to vitiate the atmosphere by carrying out such killings.