Kathua killings: Minister cites terror link, home secretary reviews situation

Jammu, Mar 9 (PTI) Union minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday pointed to the involvement of terrorists in the killing of three civilians in a remote area in Billawar tehsil of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district.

The killings have sparked protest and a shutodwn in the area.

The bodies of Varun Singh, 15, and his uncles Yogesh Singh, 32, and Darshan Singh, 40, were found in Ishu nullah in the remote Malhar area in the higher reaches of the district on Saturday.

The minister said the killings were a matter of great concern.

“The brutal killing of 3 youth by terrorists in Bani area of district Kathua is extremely sad as well as a matter of great concern. There appears to be a deep conspiracy behind spoiling the atmosphere in this peaceful area," the minister, who represents Udhampur Parliamentary constituency that covers Kathua, said on X.

“We have discussed this matter with the officials concerned. The Union Home Secretary himself is reaching Jammu so that the situation can be assessed on the spot. I am confident that it will be ensured that such incidents do not happen again and the confidence of the people remains strong,” he said.

Officials said Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan is reviewing the security situation at a meeting here.

J-K Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary condoled the killings, and said “increasing crime is a matter of concern.” He also expressed concern over the “life-threatening” attack on Bani MLA Rameshwar Singh, who was assaulted by a group of protesters while he had gone to meet the family members of the deceased at a local hospital in Billawar late Saturday night.

The MLA's security guards had to intervene and escort him away.

Reacting to his heckling at the hospital in Kathua, Singh said it was an attempt to vitiate the atmosphere.

"I want to tell those who attacked me not to vitiate the atmosphere. Since the day they (trio) went missing, I had been raising my voice for them and was also in touch with police," he told PTI.

The MLA said he was attacked because he had also raised the issue of Makhan Din, a 25-year-old Gujjar youth from Billawar, who ended his life by consuming insecticide last month, alleging police torture over his suspected links with terrorists.

"Is speaking for a Muslim a sin? Should we not raise the voice for Muslims? Anyone raising his voice for Muslims becomes a terrorist," he said.

He said he will not be cowed down and will "continue to raise my voice for the victims, irrespective of their religion." A shutdown was observed in Billawar and adjoining areas on Sunday to protest the killing of the three civilians.

“This is a clear case of target killings by terrorists, engulfing the peaceful area in fear and anger...we want the government to intensify the anti-terrorist operations in the forests to neutralise the terrorists hiding in the forests for the last one year,” local BJP leader Gopal Krishan, who led a group of protesters at Phinter chowk, said.

He said the people will not allow the terrorists to succeed in their designs and harm the communal harmony by carrying out selective killings.

Senior BJP leader and Billawar MLA Satish Sharma, who visited the deceased family, said it is premature to say who killed the three civilians.

“It is a matter of investigation as nobody has seen how they were killed. Police are looking in all aspects, including the terror angle, in the case,” he said, adding a clear picture will emerge once the postmortem report comes.

The Congress demanded a high-level investigation to clear the apprehensions of locals and overcome the current situation of "great fear" and sense of insecurity in the entire belt. PTI