Hurriyat condemns killing of Kashmiri Pandit, 2 others

The Hurriyat Conference, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, on Wednesday expressed grief over the killing of Kashmiri Pandit businessman M L Bindroo and two others by militants.

The separatist amalgam appealed to the international community to intervene in putting an end to the daily violence and tragic loss of life in Kashmir by "pushing for the resolution of the lingering Kashmir conflict, which is the root cause of all this suffering".

"Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz, who continues to be under illegal house arrest, expressed shock and condemned the killing of Bindroo, a leading pharmacist of the valley who had been dedicatedly serving the people of the valley for the last many decades, and two others yesterday evening," a statement said.

It strongly condemned all the killings, which are acts of pure violence against fellow humans and humanity.

"Hurriyat Conference extends its heartfelt condolences and sympathies with the bereaved family of Bindroo and others who have been pushed to perpetual grief at the loss of their dear one," the statement added.

Bindroo (68), the owner of Bindroo Medicare, was shot at by the assailants from point-blank range while he was at his pharmacy, a police official said, adding he was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead.

Barely a few minutes after the killing of Bindroo, militants gunned down a roadside vendor identified as Virendra Paswan, a resident of Bhagalpur in Bihar, who used to earn his livelihood by selling 'golgappa' and 'bhelpuri'.

Almost simultaneously, militants shot dead Mohammad Shafi Lone at Naidkhai in Bandipora district of north Kashmir, officials said.