New Delhi: Army Chief General MM Naravane on Saturday said killing of civilians by militants in Jammu and Kashmir was “morally unacceptable”, and said it showed that the terrorists wanted “murder and mayhem”.
Speaking at the India Today Conclave 2021, the Army Chief, when asked about the incidents in the valley in which innocent civilians were targeted and killed, the Army chief said it is not acceptable.
“There has been a spurt of terror related incidents in the past month, month and half, specially targeting innocent civilians. Earlier terror related incidents were firing at some CRPF post, or road opening party… which is bad in itself but it is still understandable that you are fighting the security forces…” the Army Chief said.
“What is not understandable is why they are targeting innocent people who are going about their daily jobs and livelihood. It is not acceptable at all. But it just shows their psyche, they want murder and mayhem, they don’t want people to live their lives,” he said.
“People will revolt… If they say they are doing this for people, why are you killing your people, who are your support base. It is an attempt to spread terror through these acts which are totally morally unacceptable,” he said.
On October 7, terrorists killed the principal and a teacher of a government school in Srinagar’s Eidgah area. The victims were from Kashmir’s minority Sikh and Hindu communities. The teacher, Deepak Chand, was a Hindu from Jammu and the principal, Supinder Kour, was a Sikh.
On October 5, 70-year-old Makhan Lal Bindroo, a prominent businessman and the owner of a pharmacy in Srinagar was shot dead by the terrorists.
On the same day, a street vendor was shot by terrorists near Madina Chowk Lalbazar in Srinagar. The deceased, identified as Virendra Paswan, was a resident of Bihar.
In a third terror attack on Tuesday, another civilian, identified as Mohd Shafi Lone, was shot dead by terrorists in Bandipora district in North Kashmir.
According to the police statement, “So far 28 civilians have been killed by terrorists in 2021. Out of 28, five persons belong to the local Hindu/Sikh community and 2 non-local Hindu labourers.”
