Protests rock Jammu over killing of Kashmiri Pandit schoolteacher in Kashmir

Jammu, May 31 (PTI) Protests against the killing of a Hindu schoolteacher in Kulgam district rocked several parts of Jammu city on Tuesday, with protesters burning an effigy of the administration and raising slogans against Pakistan.

Terming the killing a "cowardly act", the protesters said assurances given by the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration to ensure the safety of minorities in the Valley have proved to be false.

Some even demanded that members of the minority community be provided arms licences to enable them to possess weapons for their protection.

Rajni Bala (36), who belonged to Samba district and was posted at a government school in Gopalpora, was shot in the head by terrorists earlier in the day. She succumbed to her injuries at a hospital, according to police.

Kashmiri Pandits took out a rally in the Durga Nagar area here to protest Bala's killing and the administration's "total failure" to protect them. They also raised slogans against Pakistan.

"There have been 22 killings of Hindus by terrorists in the Valley and over 14 people have been injured. Four temples have been attacked. This is an undeclared assault on minorities in Kashmir and the government is saying that the situation is normal," Kashmiri Pandit leader Vinood Tickoo said.

The Dogra Front also took out a protest rally in the city.

Two hundred Bajrang Dal activists also held a protest here against Bala's killing.

They raised slogans against the Jammu and Kashmir administration for failing to protect government employees belonging to the minority community. They blocked a road for an hour and burnt an effigy of the administration.

The protesters also raised slogans against Pakistan.

"The government should grant us arms licenses, we will fight in Kashmir. Minority Hindu employees serving in the Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley should also be given weapons for their personal protection," Jammu president of Bajrang Dal Rakesh Kumar told reporters.

Shiv Sena activists led by the party's Jammu and Kashmir unit president Manish Sahni also held a protest against Bala's killing.

At a press conference held at the Shiv Sena's office here, Sahni said the killing of innocent people is intolerable.

The "nefarious acts" of terrorists are increasing day by day. All the assurances of security given by the central and state governments are proving to be completely false, he said.

Sahni demanded that people be granted arms licenses to be able to fight terrorism in the Kashmir Valley.

Licensed weapons in the hands of people is the only way for them to protect themselves and their families, he added.

Sahni said the targeted killings in Kashmir have created panic among the minorities as well as the majority community.

Activists of Mission Statehood Jammu and Kashmir also held a protest at the Janipur High Court road and blocked traffic.

They raised anti-Pakistan slogans and demanded that all government employees from the minority community be transferred to Jammu from Kashmir.

Mission Statehood Jammu and Kashmir chief Sunil Dimple appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit shah to stop the bloodshed and targeted killings of innocents in Kashmir.

Bala's is the second killing of a non-Muslim government employee in May. On May 12, Rahul Bhat, a clerk, was shot dead inside the tehsildar's office in Budgam district's Chadoora.

This is also the seventh targeted killing in Kashmir this month. While three of the victims were off-duty policemen, four were civilians.