Kathua killings being politicised, says Omar

Expressing concern in the assembly over the recent mysterious deaths of five civilians in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday claimed attempts were being made to give a "political colour" to the killings, and questioned the police for allowing the leader of Opposition to visit the bereaved families but preventing the deputy chief minister from doing the same.

- HTC and PTI

JAMMU: Expressing concern in the assembly over the recent mysterious deaths of five civilians in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday claimed attempts were being made to give a "political colour" to the killings, and questioned the police for allowing the leader of Opposition to visit the bereaved families but preventing the deputy chief minister from doing the same.

Abdullah also demanded appropriate action against those who assaulted Bani Independent MLA Rameshwar Singh during his visit to a hospital in Billawar tehsil of Kathua to meet the family members of three civilians whose bodies were retrieved from a waterfall in a remote area on Saturday, three days after they went missing from a wedding function.

The assembly witnessed heated exchanges between opposition and treasury benches on Monday, as the members raised various issues, including the civilian killings in Kathua.

CPI(M) MLA MY Tarigami asked the chief minister to express concern of the House over the killings.