Kathua killings: Union Minister factors to terror angle, Dwelling Secretary opinions state of affairs

Union Minister Jitendra Singh. File
| Picture Credit score: ANI

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday (March 9, 2025) pointed to the involvement of terrorists within the killing of three civilians in a distant space in Billawar tehsil of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district.

The killings have sparked protest and a shutodwn within the space.

The our bodies of Varun Singh, 15, and his uncles Yogesh Singh, 32, and Darshan Singh, 40, had been present in Ishu nullah within the distant Malhar space within the increased reaches of the district on Saturday (March 8).

The Minister mentioned the killings had been a matter of nice concern.

“The brutal killing of three youth by terrorists in Bani space of district Kathua is extraordinarily unhappy in addition to a matter of nice concern. There seems to be a deep conspiracy behind spoiling the ambiance on this peaceable space,” the Minister, who represents Udhampur Parliamentary constituency that covers Kathua, mentioned on X.

“We have now mentioned this matter with the officers involved. The Union Dwelling Secretary himself is reaching Jammu in order that the state of affairs could be assessed on the spot. I’m assured that it will likely be ensured that such incidents don’t occur once more and the arrogance of the individuals stays robust,” he mentioned.

Officers mentioned Union Dwelling Secretary Govind Mohan is reviewing the safety state of affairs at a gathering right here.

J&Ok Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary condoled the killings, and mentioned “rising crime is a matter of concern”. He additionally expressed concern over the “life-threatening” assault on Bani MLA Rameshwar Singh, who was assaulted by a bunch of protesters whereas he had gone to satisfy the relations of the deceased at an area hospital in Billawar late Saturday (March 8) evening.

The MLA’s safety guards needed to intervene and escort him away.

Reacting to his heckling on the hospital in Kathua, Mr. Singh mentioned it was an try to vitiate the ambiance.

“I need to inform those that attacked me to not vitiate the ambiance. Because the day they [trio] went lacking, I had been elevating my voice for them and was additionally in contact with police,” he instructed PTI.

The MLA mentioned he was attacked as a result of he had additionally raised the difficulty of Makhan Din, a 25-year-old Gujjar youth from Billawar, who ended his life by consuming insecticide final month, alleging police torture over his suspected hyperlinks with terrorists.

“Is talking for a Muslim a sin? Ought to we not increase the voice for Muslims? Anybody elevating his voice for Muslims turns into a terrorist,” he mentioned.

He mentioned he won’t be cowed down and can “proceed to boost my voice for the victims, regardless of their faith”. A shutdown was noticed in Billawar and adjoining areas on Sunday (March 9) to protest the killing of the three civilians.

“This can be a clear case of goal killings by terrorists, engulfing the peaceable space in worry and anger…we would like the federal government to accentuate the anti-terrorist operations within the forests to neutralise the terrorists hiding within the forests for the final one yr,” native BJP chief Gopal Krishan, who led a bunch of protesters at Phinter chowk, mentioned.

He mentioned the individuals won’t permit the terrorists to reach their designs and hurt the communal concord by finishing up selective killings.

Senior BJP chief and Billawar MLA Satish Sharma, who visited the deceased household, mentioned it’s untimely to say who killed the three civilians.

“It’s a matter of investigation as no one has seen how they had been killed. Police are wanting in all points, together with the fear angle, within the case,” he mentioned, including a transparent image will emerge as soon as the postmortem report comes.

The Congress demanded a high-level investigation to clear the apprehensions of locals and overcome the present state of affairs of “nice worry” and sense of insecurity in the whole belt.