Srinagar/New Delhi, 19 October, 2024: Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the recent killing of a non-local laborer in the Shopian district. The deceased, Ashok Chauhan, a migrant worker from Bihar, was discovered dead with bullet wounds in south Kashmir on Friday.
Expressing his sorrow over the incident, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated, “I am very sorry to hear about the death of Ashok Chauhan at the hands of militants in South Kashmir. These attacks are abhorrent and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. I send my condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased.”
In a post on X, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha described the killing as a “brutal act” carried out by “cowardly terrorists.”
He assured the public, saying, “The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with his family. Our security forces are determined to hunt down the culprits and bring them to justice.” He also expressed his condolences, adding, “My thoughts are with his family members and friends in this time of grief. I have directed the Jammu Kashmir Police and District Administration to extend all the support.”
Since the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, several non-local laborers have been targeted and killed in Jammu and Kashmir. While the exact number may vary, reports suggest that more than 20 non-local laborers have been killed in various incidents during this period with militants saying they are being targeted over the possible democratic change in the region after the central government scrapped the autonomous status of the region and bifurcated the state into two union territories.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, there were around 200 militancy related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir in 2020, and the numbers remained significant in the following years as well with more attacks in Jammu region.
