Anger in Valley: Kashmiri Pandits hit the streets to protest govt employee’s killing

A day after Rahul Bhat, a Kashmiri Pandit who worked at the tehsil office at Chadoora in Kashmir’s Budgam district, was killed within his office premises, the pandit community held protests outside the residential camp at Sheikhpora, Budgam.

Militants Thursday barged into Bhat's office in central Kashmir’s Budgam district and fatally shot him — the third attack against the minority community in the Valley this year.

Police said Bhat was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

The attack on Bhat, in his 30s, triggered protests from Pandits. Police sources said demonstrations were reported from Qazigund, Pulwama, Budgam, Gandebal and Baramulla.

Security personnel try to stop demonstrators from marching toward the governor's house to protest against the killing of Bhat

The protesters raised slogans against the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah and sought protection.

As protesters put up a blockade on the Srinagar-Budgam highway on Friday, the police resorted to using tear gas cannisters to disperse them.