Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti meets a family member of the 22-year-old tourist killed in stone pelting. (Source: Express photo: Shuaib Masoodi)
A DAY after a tourist from Chennai died after he was hit on the head by a stone during a protest at Narbal, on the outskirts of Srinagar, there was widespread condemnation in the Valley on Tuesday. R Thirumani (22) was on his way to a resort in Gulmarg with his parents when their car was stoned by protesters on Monday morning. He suffered a head injury and was taken to hospital, where he died in the evening.
CM Mehbooba Mufti termed it as a “heartbreaking” tragedy, and called for a “sustained and meaningful dialogue and outreach” from the Centre. “It is truly heartbreaking when a family saves for years to realise their dream of visiting Kashmir and while they are here they face the worst nightmare, I have no words strong enough to condemn this tragic incident or even begin to condole the family,” she tweeted.
“Without a sustained, meaningful dialogue and outreach, not just from the government but from entire country, J&K will get pushed deeper into this vortex of gloom,” she tweeted.
“Let’s try and wrap our heads around the fact that we stoned a tourist, a guest, to death while we glorify these stone-pelters & their methods,” National Conference leader Omar Abdullah tweeted on Monday night.
The joint separatist leadership, comprising Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Yasin Malik, also condemned the attack and called for discipline on the streets. “Such incidents damage our justified movement for freedom and it helps our adversaries bring a bad name to it. We appeal to youth that they should show discipline. They should not do anything that would damage the freedom movement,” they said.
“The killing… and injuries to others… is a crime for which the accused should be held accountable,” said human rights defender Khurram Parvez. “Hooliganism shouldn’t be defended”.
The tourism industry also called for action against those responsible. “The people responsible for these incidents need to be booked,” said Ashfaq Sidiq, president of Travel Agents Association of Kashmir.