Curfew continues for second day in Kishtwar

Curfew continued in Kishtwar for the second consecutive day following the killing of senior RSS functionary Chanderkant Sharma and his PSO. The police have intensified searches to track down the accused. The RSS leader and his security guard were killed on Tuesday when a militant opened fire at a health centre in Kishtwar town.

Jammu: The curfew imposed in Kishtwar district following the killing of senior RSS functionary Chanderkant Sharma and his PSO remained in force for the second day, Wednesday, even as police intensified searches to track down those involved in the killing.

The cremation of the RSS leader will take place later in the day in Kishtwar town amid heavy security.

"Curfew continues to remain in force in Kishtwar for the second consecutive day today. There is strict enforcement of curfew. Army continues to remain deployed", Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar, A S Rana told the media.

Rana said there was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the district and strict vigilance is being maintained in all sensitive areas of the district.

However, there were reports of brief protests in some areas in the old city against the killings.

The body of the senior RSS functionary has been airlifted to Kishtwar from Jammu.

"The cremation will take place today amid tight security", the DC said.

In view of the situation, police briefly stopped several leaders of BJP and RSS, including State BJP Chief Ravinder Raina and former Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh at Doda.

However, they were later allowed to move to Kishtwar to attend the cremation of the RSS leader after intervention by the DC and the SSP Doda.

Police and security forces have launched massive cordon and search operation in various areas to track down the killer in Kishtwar, officials said.

The RSS leader and his security guard were killed on Tuesday when a militant opened fire at a health centre in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar town, prompting authorities to impose the curfew and call the Army to maintain law and order in the communally sensitive region.

Condemning the killing of its leader and his PSO in a terrorist attack in broad daylight in Kishtwar, the RSS had termed the attack a "security lapse" and called for extending the Army's 'Operation Allout' in the hilly district to prevent the spread of terror in Jammu region.