BJP MLA shot dead: Situation 'tense but under control' in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar; mobile internet services suspended

The Indian Army staged a flag march on Friday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar town a day after curfew was imposed following the killing of senior BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother Ajit by unidentified gunmen. [caption id=“attachment_5491221” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Anil Parihar. News 18[/caption] Kishtwar district magistrate Angrez Singh Rana told PTI that the situation was tense but under control. Rana said there were no reports of any untoward incidents either. “The army staged a flag march in Kishtwar town in order to maintain law and order,” he said, adding that the curfew, which was imposed in the town late night Thursday, was strictly in place and additional security personnel were deployed in sensitive areas of the town. According to The Indian Express, mobile internet services have been suspended in the Chenani Valley, comprising Kishtwar, Doda and Ramban districts, as a precautionary measure. Mobile internet services have been limited to 2G in the rest of Jammu. With the decrease in speed, mobile users can only send text messages on WhatsApp, Facebook and messenger, etc. Rajinder Gupta, SSP, Kishtwar said that a hunt was launched to track down those involved in the murder. Following the killings of Anil, 52, and his brother Ajit, 55, by unidentified gunmen, people had staged angry protests in the communally-sensitive town and manhandled senior police officials. The district magistrate had requested the army in the town and its adjoining areas to control the internal security situation that arose due to the killings. He took the decision as he apprehended that violence might erupt and result in a law and order problem, endangering the life and property of citizens of Kishtwar town. Kishtwar district has witnessed communal clashes in the past. Terrorists had attempted to create communal tension in the region by targeting the Hindu community, especially in higher reaches. In 2001, the terrorists killed 17 Hindu nomads. The killings of Parihar brothers drew severe condemnation from all quarters . The senior BJP leader and his brother were killed while returning home after closing their stationery shop located outside old DC office complex, officials said. As the two were walking towards their home in Parihar mohalla through a dark lane in Tapal Mohalla, they were fired upon from a close range by unidentified gunmen around 8.40 pm, they said. The assailants were apparently waiting for the brothers to return home, they said. The people rushed to the spot after hearing gunshots and rushed them to the district hospital in Kishtwar where they were declared brought dead, they added. As the news spread, locals rushed to the hospital and the brothers’ house, where they held protests against the alleged failure of the administration and the police. Angry people manhandled policemen, including the SSP, after arguing with them. They also clashed with the police and forced them to leave the hospital. The angry mob raised anti-Pakistan slogans, demanding the arrest of those involved in the killings. The protestors later also took to streets and held a protest near the Kishtwar Police Station. Anil was active in politics for over 25 years and had unsuccessfully contested the 2008 Assembly elections on a Jammu and Kashmir National Panther Party (JKNPP) ticket. He joined the BJP later, whereas, his brother Ajit was an employee of the State Forest Corporation (SFC). With inputs from PTI