Political Tensions and Tragic Deaths: A Struggle for Answers in Kathua

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah criticized the political involvement in the mysterious deaths of five individuals in Kathua. He questioned the police's inconsistent actions concerning visits by political figures and urged swift action in investigating the deaths. The incident has led to heated discussions in the assembly.

In a scathing response to recent events, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned what he described as politically-motivated attempts to intervene in the tragic deaths of five individuals in Kathua. The chief minister expressed dissatisfaction with the actions of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, who restricted a visit by the Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary while allowing the Leader of the Opposition, Sunil Sharma, to meet the affected families.

The fatalities involved three civilians—Varun Singh, Yogesh Singh, and Darshan Singh—absent from a social gathering, whose bodies were found at a Kathua waterfall. This follows the previous month's discoveries of two other bodies with post-mortem results indicating strangulation. The incidents have sparked intense debate within the assembly, prompting CPI(M) MLA MY Tarigami to demand official acknowledgment and measures regarding these tragedies.

Abdullah asserted the need for a thorough investigation into the deaths, discouraging immediate discourse in the legislative chamber. He urged prompt punitive measures for those responsible for hindering Independent MLA Rameshwar Singh's inquiry into the matter. Emphasizing the police's inconsistency, Abdullah questioned the rationale behind differing permissions granted to governmental figures.

(With inputs from agencies.)