SRINAGAR: Kashmiri Pandit businessman Sandeep Mawa, whose salesman was killed in a militant attack believed to be aimed at him, said that he would provide Rs 10 lakh compensation to the victim’s family apart from arranging a government job to one of the kin in the family.
Salesman Mohammad Ibrahim Khan, 45, a resident of Eidgah area of Srinagar, was killed by suspected militants in Bohri Kadal area of the capital city Srinagar when he boarded Mawa’s private vehicle. Mawa is a Kashmiri Pandit, who owns the dry fruit business in the Bohri Kadal area.
Mawa termed the killing a “personal loss” and said that he is a duty-bound to help out the family in such crisis time.
“I am also seeking an ex-gratia for the family from the government. It is my personal loss. He (Khan) was not a salesman, but a brother to me. We were working together for the past 15 years,” Mawa said. Mawa said that Khan was killed in a “mistaken” identity while the militant’s real target was him.
“I was told that it was me who was supposed to be targeted. But unfortunately, an innocent civilian was killed. He was shot four times,” he said. “I am in consistent touch with the family. I couldn’t travel to their home because of the security threat, but I met his (Khan’s) brothers at my home.”
Mawa said that political parties like National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are responsible for the miseries in Kashmir.
“For the past 70 years, these families have lived on innocent blood. They have built their houses in England, France while innocent civilians are dying on the streets,” he said. “It is these politicians who want to keep the pot boiling for their own vested interest.”
Mawa said that those involved in killing civilians are bringing bad names to Kashmir, as Islam never allows anyone to kill an innocent human being. “Those who are targeting Kashmiri pandits, are doing a disservice to the society. Nothing will come out from these killings. Look at the reputation of Pakistan today internationally. Nobody will benefit from these killings,” he said—(KNO)
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