Hurriyat office comes under attack over Kashmiri Pandit killing

Srinagar: A group of activists on Monday allegedly ransacked the office of separatist group All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) in Srinagar, officials said. The office was already lying shut.

The protesters removed the office signboard of APHC and wrote "India" at the main gate of the Hurriyat office at Rajbagh.

They said this was done in retaliation against the recent killing of Kashmiri Pandit in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir.

They blamed the Hurriyat Conference for the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

"The children of Hurriyat leaders are studying abroad and they put guns and stones in the hands of the youth here," said a protester, adding "Hurriyat also incited the youth".

The APHC termed the act of vandalism as “hooliganism”.

“..It’s a petty attempt at diverting attention from the authorities failure to safeguard the lives of Kashmiri Pandits.

"It’s shameful that the unfortunate killing is being exploited for promoting propaganda against Hurriyat whose activists and leaders are either in jails or under house detention,” the APHC said in a statement

“APHC in principle has always denounced killings of all hues and has since its inception advocated the return of Kashmiri Pandits to the valley with dignity and in safety.

"It is the brute use of force and authority and a myopic outlook of those at the helm, that has made Kashmir a dangerous place for all its inhabitants,” the statement added.

In August, a Kashmiri Pandit had affixed the tricolor on Hurriyat office. The tricolor was later removed from the gate.

The office of APHC has been shut after the scrapping of J&K's special status on August 5, 2019.

Hurriyat Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has been under "house arrest" since the abrogation of Article 370. (UNI)