Srinagar/Jammu: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was today formed by the Jammu and Kashmir government to probe “all aspects” of the killing of Kashmiri Pandit employee Rahul Bhat by terrorists yesterday, as members of the community resorted to protests and sloganeering against the government in the Union Territory as well as the Centre..
Bhat, a government employee under PM’s Package, was shot dead in his office in Chadoora area of Budgam district of Kashmir, in yet another incident of targeted killing of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley.
The government tonight said the Station House Officer of the area has been “attached” in the wake of the killing.
“A decision has been taken to constitute special investigative team to probe all the aspects of the despicable terror attack,” Office of Lt Governor Manoj Sinha tweeted tonight.
The LG also announced a government job to Bhat’s wife in Jammu and financial assistance to the family.
“The government will bear educational expenses of the daughter,” LG said, about the 8-yeear-old child of the victim.
The targeted killing of Bhat triggered fear and anger among the thousands of Kashmiri Pandits who are working in the Kashmir Valley under the PM’s Employment Package since 2008.
There were reports that around 350 of such employees have tendered their mass resignations in a letter to the government but the latter denied having received any such communication.
“The social media reports of resignations by Migrant employees are denied as no such letter of resignation(s) have been received by the administration. Service related issues are being addressed in a time bound manner in a weeks time,” a tweet by Deputy Commissioner Budgam said.
The Kashmiri Pandit employees have been staging protests in the Valley since after the killing and condemning the government for not being able to protect the community members.
The refrain among them is that they should be rehabilitated in Jammu as they face serious threat to their lives in Kashmir.
The members of the community staged protests in Jammu today and the police had to use teargas to disperse them.
