Protest erupts in Kishtwar over VDG members’ killing

KISHTWAR — Scores of people, including women, took to the streets in Kuntwara Kishtwar on Friday to protest the killing of two Village Defense Guard (VDG) members, Nazir Ahmed and Kuldeep Kumar, who were shot dead by militants on Thursday evening. The protesters expressed outrage and demanded justice for the victims.

The protesters raised slogans against the National Conference, criticizing the government’s handling of the situation and claiming that the number of killings has increased since the government’s formation. The protesters burned down tires and took out a rally that passed through the markets, culminating at the DC office complex.

Some protesters with some political affiliation labelled Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Chowdhary a ‘traitor’, accusing him of trying to bring back the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Others went further, labeling people from Kashmir as ‘terrorists’.

MLA Doda targets BJP over Village Defence Guard members’ killings

Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Mehraj Malik accused the BJP of distributing weapons to inexperienced individuals in Chenab Valley to polarize the situation and secure votes during the election time.

Malik made these allegations on the floor of the Legislative Assembly following the killings of Village Defence Guard members. He claimed that the BJP’s Hindutva agenda has put weapons in the hands of those who don’t know how to use them.

“The BJP handed over weapons to those who barely know how to use them, only to polarize the situation in Chenab Valley and secure votes,” Malik stated.

Malik, as per the news agency KNT, said that the two people killed in Kishtwar fell prey to the BJP’s tactics.

This year, militants have killed three Village Defence Guard members. In April, a Village Defence Guard member, Muhammad Sharif, was killed in an exchange of fire during an encounter in Udhampur district. In August, another member sustained injuries in an encounter in Doda. On Thursday, militants shot dead two VDGs in Kishtwar.

Notably, Mehraj Malik has made it to the Assembly after defeating top political stalwarts including BJP’s Gajay Singh Rana, NC’s Khalid Najid Suharwardy and former minister and DPAP candidate Abdul Majid Wani. Malik had defeated his nearest BJP rival by a margin of 4538 votes.