Kashmir: A pall of gloom descended on the neighbourhood after jeweller Satpal Nischal's body reached his residence in Srinagar's Indra Nagar area.
According to police, Nischal was shot dead allegedly by militants in a busy market area on Thursday.
There was complete silence and mourning at Nischal's residence, with his family members still coming to terms with the tragedy.
Deceased jeweller's body reaches his residence The family members refused to talk to media persons who visited the residence since they were in the state of shock.
If the reports are to be believed, the 62-year-old jeweller was killed because he obtained a certificate under the new domicile law, which allows people who have lived in Jammu and Kashmir for more than 15 years rights to purchase immovable property.
He moved to Kashmir in the 1960s but was originally resident of Punjab's Gurdaspur area.
According to the police statement, unidentified gunmen fired upon Satpal Nischal, owner of Nischal Jewelers in Saraibala area of Srinagar at 6:30 PM.
Nischal was critically wounded and was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Militant outfit The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility for the attack, saying all “outsiders” who received domicile certificates were agents of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the ideological mentor of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
The outfit, in the statement, claimed that Nischal “was part of a settler project”, and that anyone who obtains domicile “will be treated as occupiers."
“The Resistance Front had already warned that any Indian national irrespective of faith, caste or colour, who comes to Kashmir intending to settle here, will be treated as an agent of the RSS and not as a civilian,” it said.
“We know your names, we know where you live and we know what you do and we are coming for you.”
A case was registered under relevant sections and further investigation was underway to establish the full circumstances of the crime.
In the meantime, the market area was cordoned off and a search operation was launched, the police said in a statement.
Meanwhile, some neighbours of Nischal claimed that he belonged to a well do family and had recently purchased more property at prime locations in Srinagar.
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