Rahul Bhat’s killing: Kashmiri Pandits take out protest march in Srinagar

PTI, May 21, 2022, 1:38 PM IST

The busy Lal Chowk city centre on Saturday reverberated with slogans like ‘We want justice’ and ‘Administration haye haye’ (down with administration) as scores of Kashmiri Pandits took out a protest march against the killing of Rahul Bhat, officials said.

The members of the community assembled near Bund in Lal Mandi area of the city and held a puja in the Jhelum river for Bhat, who was shot dead by terrorists inside the Tehsil office in Budgam district’s Chadoora town on May 12.

Soon after the puja culminated, the protesters began a march towards Lal Chowk.

After reaching Lal Chowk, the protesters held a sit-in near the famous clock tower.

The protesters demanded justice for Bhat and raised slogans against the administration. They also demanded strict action against the killers of Bhat and the authorities in Budgam.

The protesters also demanded that Kashmiri Pandits employees who got jobs under the prime minister’s package be relocated.

Protests have been held at several places in Jammu and Kashmir over the killing of Bhat as well as the ”failure” of the administration to provide security to Kashmiri Pandit employees.

Bhat had got the job of a clerk under the special employment package for migrants in 2010-11.