Indian Army personnel in Kathua district (File photo: PTI)
NEW DELHI:
Union minister Jitendra Singh
on Sunday condemned the killing of three youths in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, calling it a “brutal” act by terrorists and suggesting a “deep conspiracy” behind the incident. The bodies of Varun Singh, 15, and his uncles, Yogesh Singh, 32, and Darshan Singh, 40, were discovered in the remote Malhar area of Billawar tehsil on Saturday, three days after they went missing.
“The brutal killing of 3 youths by terrorists in Bani area of district Kathua is extremely sad as well as a matter of great concern. There seems to be a deep conspiracy behind spoiling the atmosphere in this peaceful area,” the minister wrote in a post on X.
“We have discussed this matter with the concerned officials. The Union Home Secretary himself is reaching Jammu so that the situation can be reviewed on the spot. I am confident, it will be ensured that such incidents do not happen again and people’s confidence remains strong,” the post further added.
The killings have triggered protests and a shutdown in the region, with demands for a high-level investigation. The Union home secretary, Govind Mohan, is currently in Jammu to assess the security situation. Officials have confirmed that a security review meeting is being conducted in response to the incident.
Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary expressed concern over the rising crime rate, while Independent MLA Rameshwar Singh faced backlash when he visited the grieving families at a local hospital in Billawar. A group of protesters heckled him, forcing his security personnel to intervene.
Singh, reacting to the incident, said, “I want to tell those who attacked me not to vitiate the atmosphere. Since the day they (trio) went missing, I had been raising my voice for them and was also in touch with police.”
The MLA suggested that he was targeted because he had previously spoken about the death of Makhan Din, a 25-year-old Gujjar youth from Billawar, who died by suicide last month after allegedly facing police torture over suspected terrorist links. “Is speaking for a Muslim a sin? Should we not raise the voice for Muslims? Anyone raising his voice for Muslims becomes a terrorist,” he said, adding that he would continue to advocate for victims regardless of religion.
Local BJP leader Gopal Krishan described the killings as “targeted murders” by terrorists, aimed at instilling fear in the peaceful area. “We want the government to intensify anti-terrorist operations in the forests to neutralise those hiding there for the last one year,” he said.
