Interlocutors condemn girls'' killing by militants

New Delhi, Feb 4 (PTI) Centre''s interlocutors on Jammuand Kashmir today condemned the killing of two girls bymilitants in Kashmir and hoped that the guilty would bepunished swiftly.

The panel appreciated the State government''s efforts topunish the guilty.

"The condemnation expresses a growing disgust of violenceperpetrated against innocents for political or ideologicalends," the three-member group -- Dileep Padgaonkar, Prof RadhaKumar and M M Ansari -- said in a statement.

Arifa (19) and Akhtar (17), daughters of Ghulam Nabi Dar,were gunned down by three militants, including a Pakistani, ataround 10 PM at Muslim Peer in Sopore town, 52 kms fromSrinagar on January 31.

"Our group commends the state government for its vigorousefforts to bring the guilty to book and hopes that this isdone swiftly and in a transparent manner," the interlocutorssaid.

They said that those who shed the blood of innocentsviolate the most basic of human rights - the right to life.

"This is the message that the kith and kin and neighbours ofthe slained girls have sent in unison to the perpetrators ofthis heinous crime," the group engaged in talks to restorepeace in Kashmir said.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has alsocondemned the cowardly act of militants to kill two innocentgirls.