‘We won’t leave Kashmir’, says the family of slain Pandit sarpanch

The mortal remains of sarpanch Ajay Pandita alias Bharti, who was shot dead by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag on Monday, were cremated at Jammu’s Shakti Nagar crematorium on Tuesday. Pandita (40) was the sarpanch of Lukbawan village in the Larkipora area. He was a member of the Congress party.

“We won’t leave Kashmir but I have a demand that the government should first create a regiment of Kashmiri Pandits in the valley,” said Vijay Pandita, brother of the deceased, who lit the pyre. He was helpful to all. He loved his roots and always extended a helping hand to the needy. After becoming sarpanch he had decided to work for the welfare of Muslim villagers. Ajay’s father Dwarika Nath Pandita described his son as a lion and patriot. Pandita recalled that Ajay always rejected his suggestions that they should leave Kashmir because the situation was not normal.

Update by Pari Gupta