One of the four suspects in the murder was taken into custody. The day also saw hundreds of mourners turning out at the late journalist’s funeral procession.
The newspaper Rising Kashmir, people across the political spectrum and the media fraternity paid heart-felt tributes to Bukhari.
An independent voice and a proponent of peace in Kashmir….who actively worked towards that end.
On Thursday evening, news broke of the killing of a senior journalist from Kashmir, the Editor of English daily Rising Kashmir Shujaat Bukhari who was gunned down in the heart of Srinagar.
The attack claimed his life and that of his two security guards.
Even 24 hours after the editor’s murder, the question on everyone’s mind was why was a voice of reason silenced?
On Friday, hundreds of mourners in Kashmir joined Shujaat Bukhari’s funeral procession. The funeral took place in his ancestral village Kreeri in Baramulla.
Despite heavy rain, crowds of villagers, friends and colleagues followed the procession through the streets of the village.
Among those who took part in the funeral and visited his ancestral home were Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, ministers from the ruling PDP and the BJP and opposition leader Omar Abdullah.
Srinagar Police released photographs of suspects caught on CCTV footage and termed the attack as a terror incident. He said that an SIT has been formed, which is headed by DIG central Kashmir and the fourth suspect has been taken into custody.
There was all round condemnation of his killing. People across the political spectrum and the common man unequivocally condemed the dastardly act inside and outside J&K.
The Editors Guild of India, The Press Club of India, Jammu Press Club….all condemned the editor’s killing in strongest terms.
A day after his killing, newspaper Rising Kashmir paid a heartfelt tribute to its late editor-in-chief with his full-size black-and-white photograph on its front page against a black background.
The govt has said that it is committed to the freedom of the press
Thursday was brought the grim news of Indian Army Rifleman Aurangzeb being killed by hi abductors….His bullet-ridden body was found in Pulwama’s Gusoo…hours after he was abducted by terrorists.
The army paid tributes to the martyr in a wreath laying ceremony in
Union Minister Arun Jaitley tweeted his condolences saying, ‘The killing of Shujaat Bukhari, a respected editor, along with the kidnapping and killing of a soldier are highly condemnable acts. My sympathies for the bereaved families’
He joined Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Rajyavardhan Rathore and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in condemning the attacks.
Friday was not bereft of violence. Five persons, including two policemen, were injured as terrorists opened fire on a security forces’ party carrying out random vehicle checking in Kak Sarai area of the city.
Meanwhile the Centre underscored the positive impact of the suspension of operations in the state during Raman.
He also said that the government would take a call on whether to extend the suspension of operations or not.
It seems that terrorists frustrated by peace initiatives are not only targeting the common Kashmiri but also peaceniks.