New Delhi/Srinagar, February 1
The killing of two girls in Sopore by suspected LeT militants evoked sharp reactions today with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah calling the “muted condemnation” of the shocking incident by citizens and separatist leaders as “unfortunate”.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Chief Ministers’ conference on internal security in the National Capital, Omar said, “I find it difficult to understand. Under these circumstances, I doubt anybody would have guts to stand up and say they did it and why they did it.”

“I think this in itself brings out the contradictions that exist in Kashmir because if there was even the slightest of indication that these deaths have been the result of highhandedness of the security forces, today, the whole Valley would have erupted in flames. But because these killings were by militants, the condemnation is muted or the condemnation does not come at all,” he said.

Omar said reaction of the people was also muted, which, he thought, was “unfortunate”.

According to preliminary investigations, the three Lashkar militants barged into the house and forcibly took out the girls, aged 19 and 17, the police said.

“The girls were later shot dead by the militants near the Ziarat (shrine) Rahim Sahib. One of them was shot in the left eye,” Ahmad said, adding their bodies were found near their house. It could not be immediately ascertained why the militants had targeted the sisters.

The police officer said the local militants involved in the killing had been identified as Wasim Ganaie and Muzaffar Naikoo. Both of them were ‘A’ category militants and carry a cash reward on their heads. — PTI