“Those who indulged in J&K killings will be strongly responded,” says Anurag Thakur

New Delhi [India], May 19 (ANI): Condemning the recent incidents of shooting by terrorists in two different incidents in Shopian and Anantnag, respectively, Union Minister Anurag Thakur said that some are causing such incidents as they are discouraged by the improving situations in Jammu and Kashmir.

“A few people are causing such incidents because they are discouraged. They should understand that the people of Jammu and Kashmir no longer support separatism, terrorism, or stone-pelting,” Anurag Thakur said.

Further stating that such people will be dealt with using stringent steps, he said, “Tourism is increasing day by day, and the morale of many people is going down. Those who indulged in killings in the Jammu and Kasmir will be strongly responded to.”

Speaking on the same, former deputy chief minister of the erstwhile state, Kavinder Gupta said that the attack was aimed at disturbing and hurting tourism in Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking to ANI on Sunday, the senior BJP leader said, “There was a record tourist footfall in Kashmir last year, with the number of visitors estimated at 1,70,00,000. Hence, at a time when tourism is looking up and local businesses and livelihoods are booming, the attack was aimed at bringing back the dark days of terror in the region. It was intended to hurt the tourism prospects at a time when there is prosperity all around in Kashmir. I strongly suspect Pakistan to be behind this attack. However, the nefarious designs of people, who carry out terror hits in exchange for money and at the behest of their handlers (across the border) wouldn’t succeed. Their bid to bring back the reign of terror in the Valley will never succeed.”

Meanwhile, a former BJP Sarpanch, Aijaz Ahmad Sheikh, was killed, and a couple from Jaipur were injured in two separate incidents of firing by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian and Anantnag districts, respectively, late on Saturday night, police said.

In the second incident, a couple from Jaipur was injured in the Yannar area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

The police stated that the terrorists fired upon and injured a lady, Farha, a resident of Jaipur, and her spouse, Tabrez, at Yannar in Anantnag. The injured were evacuated and taken to the hospital for treatment.

According to sources, the condition of the injured couple is stable.