Rahul Bhat murder: Father says 'not contacted by any govt official' as protests erupt in multiple J&K localities

The Kashmiri Pandit community protested in multiple areas of J&K on Thursday after the killing of Rahul Bhat, a government employee, in his office earlier in the day. Protests erupted in places such as Qazigund and Sheikhpora Pandit colony area. Bhat's father B J Bhat, meanwhile, alleged that no official bothered to inform him about the incident.

Srinagar: The Kashmiri Pandit community on Thursday demonstrated in several areas of Kashmir after the murder of Rahul Bhatt, a government employee who was shot earlier in the day by militants in his office in the Chadoora area of Budgam district of Jammu Kashmir. Speaking to the media, Bhat's father B J Bhat said that he demanded an inquiry into the incident, as the killing took place inside the office. "There should of course be an inquiry. If someone shot (him) inside the office, then it is a serious matter. No official ever called me. I tried calling DC Budgam, but he did not pick up," he said.

Huge protests erupted in Qazigund area earlier in the day, and later in Sheikhpora Pandit Colony area of Budgam. In Sheikhpora, the crowd demanded Lieutenant General of J&K Manoj Sinha to arrive at the spot, saying they would not let the last rites take place unless the LG appeared at the spot.

In Qazigund, protestors blocked the Jammu - Srinagar national highway. While demanding justice for Bhat, the community members also held a candlelight march. The incident marks the third such attack on a member of the minority community in 2022. On April 13, Satish Kumar Singh was shot dead by militants outside his home in Kakran village in south Kashmir. Before Singh's killing, on April 4, militants attacked and injured a Kashmiri Pandit, Bal Krishan Bhat, in south Kashmir’s Kulgam.

"Rahul Bhat was working in a revenue department and was posted at the tehsil office in Chadoora. Today evening, he was shot at by militants in his office. He was immediately shifted to the nearest hospital for treatment. But when his condition deteriorated, he was shifted and taken to Srinagar's SMHS hospital for advanced treatment. Unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries at the hospital," a senior police official said.

"Preliminary investigation suggests, two militants were involved in the attack, and Rahul was shot at from point-blank range with a pistol. Further investigations are underway," the official added. While the incident brought people to the streets in several places, political parties condemned the act.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference's vice president Omar Abdullah was the first to condemn the attack. “I unequivocally condemn the murderous militant attack on Rahul Bhatt. Rahul was a government employee working in the Tehsil office in Chadoora where he was attacked. Targeted killings continue & a sense of fear grows unchecked. My heartfelt condolences to Rahul’s family. RIP," he tweeted.

In another tweet, Omar said, "This young man had his entire life ahead of him & to know that his life was so cruelly extinguished today is tragic. Rest in peace Rahul Bhatt." Mehbooba Mufti, former J&K Chief Minister and President Peoples Democratic Party termed the killing a "gruesome act".

"Condemn the gruesome act where in a Kashmiri Pandit boy Rahul Bhat was murdered in Chadoora. Another life ended and another family was devastated. My heart goes out to the bereaved family in this hour of grief," she tweeted. "It also belies the false claims of normalcy in Kashmir," she added.

"Coward Pakistani terrorists have today conducted another unfathomably bloody act, as Rahul Bhat, a member of the Kashmiri Pandit community, was brutally killed today. They will have to pay a heavy price for this," Jammu Kashmir BJP President Ravinder Raina said.

BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur while demanding justice for Bhat said, "Attackers must be brought to justice forthwith." "Strongly denounce the cowardly act by militants who fired at an innocent and unarmed civilian Rahul Bhat working with the Revenue department at Chadoora, Budgam. The act is highly barbaric, and cowardly, and displays the frustration of the militants. Attackers must be brought to justice forthwith," Thakur said in a statement.