Govt’s ‘muscular’ policy not working, says Mehbooba Mufti

SRINAGAR: Various mainstream political parties and their leaders in Jammu and Kashmir have strongly condemned the murder of three Special Police Officers (SPOs) after their kidnapping by militants in southern Shopian on Friday.

CPM’s state secretary and legislator Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said, “It is unfortunate and tragic. The slain policemen were not on combat duty but were abducted unarmed from their homes”.

He asked as to whose ‘cause’ was being served by such killings? He said, “Whether a person is killed by the bullet from one side or the other side, it is a Kashmiri who is losing a life. For how long such killings will continue?”

Former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah expressed profound grief over the killings.

“We strongly condemn this cowardly attack and express our solidarity with the families of slain SPOs. We also pray for peace to the departed souls”, the Abdullahs said in a joint statement.

However, Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti, said that condemning the killings will not bring any solace to the families of the victims.

The former chief minister tweeted, “Three more policemen have lost their lives to militant bullets. Outrage, shock & condemnation will be expressed by all of us on expected lines. Unfortunately, it brings no solace to the families of the victims.”

She also sought to blame the Centre’s “muscular” campaign in Jammu and Kashmir for continuation of such incidents.

In another tweet, the PDP leader said, “Clearly, with the rise in kidnapping of police personnel and their families, Centre’s muscular policy is not working at all. Dialogue, the only way forward seems to be a distant dream for now.”