Jammu & Kashmir

In major breakthrough JK Police says it has identified killers of Shujaat Bukhari

However, the police in Kashmir has said, “we have so far not released any press release pertaining to the investigation. We seek the cooperation of media for this.”

The Jammu and Kashmir Police are quoted by The Indian Express as saying that they have identified the killers of Rising Kashmir editor, and senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari.

According to the report in the Indian Express, two of the attackers are from South Kashmir and another is a Pakistani national.

“We have identified the attackers,” a top police officer privy to the investigation told The Indian Express. “Two of them are local militants from south Kashmir while the third one is from Pakistan”.

Naveed Jatt, a pakistani militant who had escaped from police custody from Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital in February this year, the police says was one of the attackers. Jatt is associated with the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).

However, the police in Kashmir has said, “we have so far not released any press release pertaining to the investigation. We seek the cooperation of media for this.”

ALSO READ: Blog post which targeted Bukhari days before his murder under investigation

Police sources say they have also identified the Pakistan-based blogger who had “started a smear campaign” against Bukhari. They say the blogger is a militant from Srinagar, who is settled in Pakistan.

Police are likely to address a press conference on Wednesday evening to reveal the details about the case.

Bukhari was assassinated on June 14 by unidentified gunmen outside his office in Srinagar, a day before Eid and few minutes before Iftaar (breaking of Fast during Ramzan). Bukhari succumbed to his injuries and was declared brought dead at the hospital.

ALSO READ: Shujaat Bukhari: The gentleman editor who never failed his reporters

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein during his opening statement of the 38th session of the Human Rights Council on Monday said that he was deeply saddened by the assassination of veteran journalist Shujaat Bukhari.

While calling him a human rights defender, Hussein said, “I am tremendously saddened by the assassination last week of Shujaat Bukhari, a courageous human rights defender actively working for peace, including through his participation in the Track Two diplomacy seeking to help both India and Pakistan put an end to the violence.”

The Committee to Protect Journalists while strongly condemned the killing of the editor said that Indian authorities must bring killers of Bukhari to justice.

Singh further added, “It’s better to control yourself before situation get worse. They (journalists) must draw a line so that brotherhood in the state remains intact and we also join the journey of development.”

Singh is not new to controversies. In 2016, he threatened a delegation of Gujjar farmers by reminding them of the massacre of Muslims in Jammu region following Partition in 1947.

Earlier, his brother Rajinder Singh abused former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti during a rally in Hiranagar. He was later arrested from Rajasthan by Kathua police.

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