Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said those behind the Delhi blast should be given the strictest punishment, but emphasised that the entire population of Jammu and Kashmir cannot be branded as sympathisers of terrorism.
The chief minister said only a few elements were responsible for disturbing peace and harmony in the region.
A blast in an explosives-laden car, which was being driven by Dr Umar Nabi, who hailed from south Kashmir’s Pulwama, near the Red Fort in Delhi killed 12 people and injured several others on November 10. He has emerged as key in a terror network spanning Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.
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The blast occurred hours after the recovery of around 360 kg of suspected ammonium nitrate and a cache of arms and ammunition from the rented accommodation of another Kashmiri doctor, Muzammil Ganaie, in Faridabad, bordering Delhi.
Muzammil is among the eight people, including seven Kashmiris, arrested for their alleged links to the interstate ‘white collar’ Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror module centred in Faridabad.
Talking to reporters here, Abdullah said, “These few people are responsible for this attack. Those who are guilty should be given the strictest punishment, and innocent people should not get caught in it.” “No amount of condemnation is enough for this incident. The brutal killing of innocent people in such a manner is extremely shameful. No one can justify such an act. The investigation will continue,” he said.
Emphasising that the entire population of Jammu and Kashmir cannot be branded as sympathisers of terrorism, the chief minister said only a few elements were responsible for disturbing peace and harmony in the region.
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“Every resident of Jammu and Kashmir is not a terrorist. Not every Kashmiri is on the side of terrorists. It is only a handful of people who have tried to disturb the peace and harmony here,” he said.
“When we begin to look at every Kashmiri Muslim through the same lens and try to give the impression that every Kashmiri Muslim is a terrorist, it becomes very difficult to keep things on the right track,” he said.
Abdullah said those responsible for the attack should be brought to justice and given the harshest punishment while ensuring that innocent people are not harassed.
“Those who are guilty must face the strictest punishment. Innocent people should not get caught in it,” he added.
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Replying to questions about the arrest of Arif Nisar Dar, a doctor from Srinagar’s SMHS Hospital who was sacked in 2023 by the Lt Governor for alleged terror links, Abdullah asked why no legal action was taken earlier despite the availability of evidence.
“What is new about this? Haven’t we seen university professors involved before? I even remember an associate professor earlier. Where is it written that educated people cannot get involved in such things? “If you believed he had terror links and you had evidence, why didn’t you take that evidence to court? Why was he not prosecuted? Merely dismissing someone from service doesn’t end the matter — and today, we are seeing the result of that,” he said.
Dar, from Nowgam in Srinagar, is among the eight people arrested in connection with the terror module.
