Kashmiri Pandits in US condemn killing of Sarpanch in Valley

An organisation representing Kashmiri Pandits in US has condemned targeted killing of a Pandit Sarpanch who was shot dead by militants in Anantnag district of Valley. Ajay Pandita (Bharti), Sarpanch of Larkipora area in Anantnag district and a member of Congress party, was shot dead by militants in his native vill on Monday.

targeted killing of Pandita proves that ethnic cleansing of mirity Kashmiri Hindu community in Valley continues unabated, Indo-American Kashmir Forum (IAKF) said on Monday. His gruesome, public murder is a reminder of havoc brought upon entire Kashmiri Hindu community driven from ir homeland in Kashmir Valley over past few centuries, most recently beginning in 1990, organisation said in a statement,

Deuncing local government's lackadaisical approach to security needs of Pandita, as well as or lower-tier public officials, IAKF demanded that Kashmiri Hindus who still live in valley be given extra police protection until peace is restored in Valley.

In its statement, IAKF also condemned Pakistan, and its supporters within Kashmir Valley, for promoting, funding, aiding and harbouring global terror organisations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), and Resistance Front (TRF).

" Resistance Front (TRF), which has taken responsibility for Pandita's brutal murder, is merely a new, consolidated name for Islamic terrorists from three groups already active in Kashmir - HM, LeT and JeM," IAKF said.