Omar condemns attack on police party in Kashmir killing three

Srinagar: Condemning the attack on a police party in Pulwama district that left two cops and a civilian dead, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the attackers are “cowards” and have no respect for human lives. In a message to the bereaved families and the Police Department, the Chief Minister expressed solidarity with them and said those who have committed the crime are cowards and have no respect for precious human lives, a spokesperson said. [caption id=“attachment_1664925” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Omar Abdullah. AFP[/caption] Omar prayed for peace to the departed souls and conveyed his sympathy to the families of the victims, the spokesman added. Two policemen and a civilian were killed in the attack by gunmen in Galandar area of Pulwama in south Kashmir yesterday. Ruling and opposition parties in the state also condemned the killings, terming them as unfortunate. Expressing grief and sorrow on behalf of ruling National Conference, party’s provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani said such tragic incidents highlight the immense sacrifices rendered by the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “They also underline the need for a sustained effort to continue initiatives aimed at maintaining peace and stability in the state,” he said. A spokesman of the state’s principal Opposition Peoples Democratic Party said, “It is unfortunate that we are still losing precious lives to bullets and there is no way seen around to end the crisis.” “Bloodbath has no place in a civilised society. Everyone who thinks well for the society has to take a call and help to end these unfortunate incidents in future,” the spokesman said in a statement. He said the recurrence of such incidents shows that human life in Jammu and Kashmir has completely lost its value and meaning. “Till now, we have had enough of killings and bloodshed in the state and what did we achieve nothing but tragedies,” he said. State Secretary of CPI (M) Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami also condemned the attack, terming it as unfortunate and an act of viciousness. “Violence in all its manifestations is condemnable as violence begets violence,” he said while expressing sympathies with the bereaved families. PTI