Stone pelters turned murderers: 22-year-old young boy from Tamil Nadu murdered by the innocents of Mehbooba

Srinagar, May 8: The date 7 May 2018 will be remembered as the most embarrassing day in the history of Jammu and Kashmir as a 22-year-old tourist from Tamil Nadu was killed and two members of his family, including his mother, were injured when their cab was attacked by a group of stone pelters at Narbal on the Srinagar-Gulmarg highway.

 

Notably, hundreds of stone-pelters were protesting on Monday against the killing of five terrorists belonged to Pakistan based terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen in an encounter in Shopian on Sunday. At the same time, R Thirumani and his family were returning from Gulmarg when their vehicle was caught in stone pelting near Magam area of Budgam. A stone hit the young man on his right temple and he was rushed to the Soura Institute of Medical Sciences where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Immediately after the unfortunate incident was reported, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti visited the hospital and consoled the family of a victim. She termed the death a "murder of humanity" and said the incident had rattled the mother in her. After meeting the father of a victim, CM Mehbooba Mufti said that those picked up stones has no religion.

Quoting that her head hangs in shame, the chief minister questioned the education being imparted to children and role of their parents. "What are we teaching our children? To pick up stones and kill anyone walking on the road? This is not what our religion Islam preaches. Our religion teaches us to take care of our guests. These people or boys who pick up stones to kill someone have no religion," Mehbooba added.

Later, CM Mufti in a series of tweet said, “Its truly heartbreaking when a family saves for years to realise their dream of visiting Kashmir & while they are here they face their worst nightmare. I have no words strong enough to condemn this tragic incident or even begin to condole the family.”

“Without a sustained, meaningful dialogue & outreach, not just from the govt but from the entire country, J&K will get pushed deeper into this vortex of gloom. My deepest condolences to the deceased’s family & my prayers go out to the girl who was injured in the same incident,” she added.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir police have registered a case under FIR Number 57/2018 and investigation into the attack has been initiated. Importantly, this is not the first time that the stone pelters attacked tourists. Five days before, a group of tourists were attacked by the stone pelters in South Kashmir.

One of the tourists, Ritu Devi from Mumbai was severely injured as she sustained head. In another attack at the same spot in Narbal, a 19-year-old Kashmiri girl identified as Sabreena from Handwara was also injured when the group of people pelted stones on the passing vehicles. Though they have attacked security forces and tourists many times, CM Mehbooba Mufti calls them innocent.

Under the influence of few separatists, hundreds of youth are involved in the stone pelting incidents in Jammu and Kashmir only to protect terrorists and register their protest against the government. The youth of valley is being used as a pawn by few Pakistani lovers residing in Jammu and Kashmir.