J-K locals condemn killing of two sisters by Lashkar militants

Sopore, Feb 3 (ANI): The people staged a sit-in-protest in Sopore town of Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla District on Thursday to condemn the killing of two teenaged sisters girls allegedly by the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants.

The agitated men and women of Sopore said the incident had made the local women fearful for their safety.

"We gathered here to condemn the brutal killings of our sisters. This should have not happened. After this incident, it is difficult for our women to go out. We truly condemn it and want that the women should be provided with proper security. The culprits should be severely punished," said Mukhtar Ahmed, a relative of deceased girls.

It has not yet been ascertained why the militants targeted the sisters but sources say it could be because the girls or their family were suspected of being police informers.

Ahmed, however, maintained that the girls were innocent, and called upon the political leadership for a solution to such killings.

"The answer should be given by the government, leaders of the state, Hurriyat leaders and Omar Abdullah (Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir). All the leaders must come in front and answer because at the end, whomsoever it is, it is we, the poor people, who get killed," he added.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has strongly condemned the killing and said: "Full details about the Sopore incident has yet not come, but it's quite sad that no condemnation of this killing by militants is coming out. If there was any whiff or suggestion that security forces had killed civilians, then the entire valley would have been up in flames."

The militants killed the two sisters Arifa, 17, and Akhtar, 20, after kidnapping them from their home. (ANI)