Congress demands judicial probe into death of 3 persons in Kathua

Jammu, Feb 22 (PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress on Saturday demanded a judicial probe into the recent death of three persons in Kathua district.

The demand for the judicial probe was raised by Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra at a workers’ convention in the Kathua district.

Roshan Lal, 45, and Shamsher, 37, were found strangled at village Batheri in Billawar on February 16, while Makhan Din (25) of Billawar ended his life by consuming some insecticide at his home on February 4 to protest alleged harassment by police.

“We condemn the unfortunate incidents of the mysterious killing of two persons in Billawar besides the death of Din and demand a judicial inquiry to bring out the truth,” Karra said, addressing the convention which was organised as part of its ongoing 15-day campaign to press for the restoration of statehood to J-K.

He constituted a team of senior leaders and asked them to visit the area and prepare a detailed report before submitting it to the party.

Alleging delay in finalising the “business rules” in the Union Territory, he said “there is confusion in the administration over the defining and distribution of powers”.

“Non-restoration of statehood is also coming in the way of solving various issues of different sections of people who had taken part in the elections with a hope of getting their pending issues resolved,” Karra said.

He also criticised the local leadership of the BJP and asked them to clarify their stand over the delay in the restoration of statehood to J-K.

“The J-K BJP and its elected representatives are observing criminal silence over the vital right of the people, forcing the Congress to launch this movement which shall be intensified in the days to come,” Karra said.