Rahul Bhat's killing: Dozens of Kashmiri Pandits tonsure their heads in protest against J&K administration

The minority community members shaved their heads in Mattan Anantnag Temple today, and a protest rally was taken out demanding the relocation of all migrant Kashmiri Pandits, who got jobs under the prime minister's package, to safer places.

Srinagar: Kashmiri Pandits held a unique agitation on Saturday (May 21) against the killing of government employee Rahul Bhat, where dozens of the members shaved their heads in protest against the government for “failing” to protect the migrant KPs in the Valley. The minority community members shaved their heads in Mattan Anantnag Temple today, and a protest rally was taken out demanding the relocation of all migrant Kashmiri Pandits, who got jobs under the prime minister's package, to safer places. On May 12, Rahul Bhat was killed by terrorists inside the Tehsil office in Chadoora of Budgam district of Central Kashmir. 

Several hundred KP members gathered in Srinagar's Rajbagh area and raised anti-Jammu and Kashmir administration and anti-BJP slogans, demanding justice.

During the march, Kashmiri Pandit protesters offered prayers and immersed flowers on the banks of river Jhelum (called Vitasta Mata by Kashmiri Pandits) near Lal Mandi in memory of Rahul Bhat on the tenth day of his death. 

A protester Ashwani said, “Today we performed a special puja to pay homage to martyr Rahul on the 10th day of his killing. The LG tells us to be patient but perhaps he wants that one Rahul has gone and he will keep giving assurances till another ten will go.”  He said that policemen are with us here guarding our protest rally, adding that if the atmosphere was really peaceful then they would not have been needed.  The government makes “hollow claims”, he alleged.