Kathua killings: BJP’s Sunil Sharma allowed to visit Billawar, Dy CM denied permissiom; JK CM questions disparity

Last month, PDP’s Iltija Mufti was disallowed to meet family of a civilian who died of suicide after alleged torture by cops. He had also shared his ordeal  in video shot before he took the extreme step.

Jammu: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday questioned the decision to allow BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition Sunil Sharma to visit Bilawar Kathua while denying permission to the Deputy Chief Minister.

The three civilians — 35-year-old Jogesh Singh from Marhoon village, 40-year-old Darshan Singh from Dehota village, and 14-year-old Baroon Singh from Dehota — had gone missing on the evening of March 6. They had left their homes in Lohai Malhar aroundd 8:30pm to attend a wedding but never returned. Following an extensive 60-hour search operation, armed forces located their bodies in a water channel in the upper hills using drones.

“If the situation was so bad in Kathua, why was the LoP allowed to visit there but the Deputy CM was denied permission?” Abdullah asked while speaking in the Assembly.

Meanwhile, he also clarified that the Jammu and Kashmir government had no role in organising the recent fashion show at Gulmarg. Addressing concerns over the event, he stated that it was a private function held at a private hotel without any government involvement.

The Chief Minister further informed the House that the administration has been directed to investigate whether the event organisers violated any laws. “If any violations are found, the matter will be handed over to the police for necessary action,” he added.

In the case of Makhan Din, a civilian from Kathua who hanged self after allegedly being totured by cops, Iltija Mufti had claimed that she was disallowed to visit the deceased’s native. In February, she stated on X, “I intended to visit Kathua today to meet Makhan Din’s family today & am not being allowed to even move out. Nothing has changed in Kashmir even after elections. Now even comforting the families of victims is being criminalised.