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9 Hindus slaughtered in J&K

Mohit Kandhari / Jammu

After killer quake, killers strike--- At a time when people in earthquake-ravaged Jammu and Kashmir were struggling to get their life back on the rails, showing no mercy, terrorists struck Budhal tehsil in the border district of Rajouri, slaughtering nine members of two Hindu families around Sunday midnight.

The killings came barely hours after chairman of the United Jihad Council and supreme commander of Hizbul Mujahideen Syed Salahuddin announced temporary suspension of militant operation in the ravaged areas of Jammu and Kashmir.

Budhal was among the worst hit in Rajouri district as more than 100 houses collapsed and several others developed cracks after Saturday's devastating earthquake.

Reports said a group of heavily armed militants raided Rajnagar in Budhal tehsil at 11pm on Sunday night and separated the male members of Munshi Ram's family before slitting their throats one by one.

The militants killed Munshi Ram's two sons in front of him before murdering him, sources said. They also killed his brother and his nephew.

Those killed in the attack have been identified as Munshi Ram, Kaka Ram, Hans Raj, Sobha Ram, and Vicky. Survivors told the police that after carrying out the merciless killings, one of the militants contacted the local police station in Kotranka, informing them that they were leaving behind gift packets for them.

Soon after, the same group of militants reached nearby Gabbar village under the same tehsil and killed four members of another Hindu family with sharp-edged weapons.

Here again the ultras targetted all the male members of the family. Gurdeep, Punjab and Kashmir Singh, the three sons of Kartar Singh were killed as was Kartar Singh while the fourth son, Karnail Singh was critically injured in the attack.

The militants also killed one Satbir Singh and Nazir Hussain in the area during their killing spree, they said. Sources told The Pioneer that Abu Usman, a militant commander of Hizbul Mujahideen Peer Panchal Regiment (HMPPR) is suspected to be behind the killings.

"It is his handiwork, he was active in the area for a long time and was also involved in the killing of Hindu families working in the coal mines in Kalakote," sources told The Pioneer. However, no militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the killings so far.

Security forces have launched a massive search operation in the area to nab the militants. Police sources say the nine men could have been killed on suspicion of being informers.

On Monday, a bullet-ridden decomposed body was also recovered by the troops in Mardwaha-Daccan area of Doda district, sources said adding that it was supposed to be of one Renzo Gujjar who was abducted by militants and later killed.

Meanwhile, the security forces recovered 11 grenades of UBGL along with the shell of a rocket launcher close to the bed of Tarna river under Supwal police station in Kathua district on Monday morning.