Several separatist, civil society and tourist trade groups held demonstrations today to protest what they termed ‘dastardly’ terror attack that claimed the lives of seven Amarnath yatris yesterday evening in north Kashmir’s Anantnag district. While Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Movement a constituent of Hurriyat (G) demands culprits involved in the attack be dealt with iron hands, valley based tour operators announced one day token strike as a mark of respect towards innocent yatris killed in Anantnag attack.A civil society group while condemning attack on yatris said such cowardly acts exposed the communal powers hell-bent upon damaging secular fabric of the state.Carrying banners and placards in their hands reading “stop bloodshed and attack on yatris is attack on humanity’’ the protesters while expressing sympathies with the bereaved families claimed that the perpetrators behind the attack are not humans but monsters.Manzoor Ahmad Wangnoo, President Nageen Tourist Traders Association, announced a one day token strike by all tourism forums as a mark of respect towards innocent yatris killed in Anantnag attack saying the act has ashamed humanity.
“Attack on yatris is attack on humanity and against human ethos we condemn the cowardly attack in strong words. Tomorrow all tour operators have unanimously decided to go for a token strike as a mark of respect to deceased yatris who lost their lives in the attack,” said Wangnoo.Manzoor Ahmad Pakhtoon, President Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Alliance (JKTA) said “every Kashmiri stands with yatris and we would like to convey our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, we also endorse tomorrows call given unanimously by tour operators”Earlier a lawyer cum social activist, Irfan Hafeez Lone along with dozens of people staged a peaceful sit-in at Press Enclave to protest what he said brutal killing of amaranth pilgrims.“We Kashmiri’s stand with the families of bereaved in this hour of grief, we want India and Pakistan to find a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue apart from playing politics. We condemn attack on yatris and demand an impartial probe into it,” said Lone.Jammu and Kashmir Salvation Movement women’s wing also registered their protest demanding accused in the killing be dealt with iron hands.“yatris are our guests, we respect them, however the yesterdays act disappointed us a lot and we want the accused to be brought to book and dealt with seriously for carrying out such a shameful and cowardly attack on innocent yatris,” a Burqa clad women who claimed to be the Chairperson of Women’s wing told reporters.