Rahul Bhat was a migrant Kashmiri Pandit authorities worker who was gunned down by a gaggle of Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in his workplace in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on 12 Might 2022.
Wiki/Biography & Profession
Rahul Bhat was born in 1989 (age 33 years; on the time of demise) in Sangram Pora, Beerwah, Budgam, Jammu and Kashmir. His hometown is Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. In 1997, when Rahul was eight years previous, his household fled the Kashmir Valley and relocated to Jammu for security functions; they determined to depart their hometown after Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists got here to their village, handpicked seven younger males, and shot them from point-blank. In Jammu, they lived in Durga Nagar, Bantalab. On the age of 21, Rahul began working as a clerk within the income division of the Tehsil Workplace in Budgam. He had bagged the job underneath the particular employment package deal for migrants. Following his employment, his household determined to return to their hometown, and so they began residing in a Migrant Colony at Sheikhpora in Budgam.
Bodily Look
Peak (approx.): 5′ 8″
Hair Color: Darkish Brown
Eye Color: Brown
Household & Caste
Rahul Bhat was a Kashmiri Pandit.
Mother and father & Siblings
Rahul Bhat’s father, Bitta Ji Bhat, is a retired Indian police officer. Bitta was retired as an ASI and he was part of the safety wing of former Nationwide Convention chief Ali Mohammad Sagar. Not a lot is thought about his mom. He had a youthful brother named Sunny Bhat, who can also be an Indian police personnel.
Rahul Bhat’s father, Bitta Ji Bhat
Rahul Bhat’s mom
Spouse & Youngsters
Rahul acquired married to Meenakshi Raina Bhat in 2010. He had an eight-year-old daughter named Gungun.
Rahul Bhat along with his spouse, Meenakshi Raina Bhat
Rahul Bhat’s daughter, Gungun
Faith
He adopted Hinduism.
Focused Killing
On 12 Might 2022, Rahul Bhat was attacked by a gaggle of terrorists who fired bullets at him from shut proximity contained in the Tehsil workplace in Chadoora city in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. After the incident, he was rushed to SMHS Hospital, Srinagar, the place he was declared lifeless by the medical doctors.
Rahul Bhat being rushed to SMHS Hospital, Srinagar, after he was shot by Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists
In an interview, Rahul’s spouse, Meenakshi Bhat revealed that she spoke to Rahul over the cellphone simply 10 minutes earlier than the assaults. She stated,
He works on the DC workplace. I spoke to him at 3:45 PM, that’s 10 minutes earlier than the assault however didn’t really feel any menace. I used to be at a celebration once I spoke to him and he was talking very regular to me. Later, I acquired a cellphone name about an assault on him the place he has been shot within the shoulder, nevertheless, I used to be relieved that he can be saved. However they took him away from me and I’m left on their own with nothing.”
Based mostly on the preliminary investigation, Srinagar police revealed that two terrorists had been concerned within the totally odious crime. The police additionally revealed that the terrorists had used pistols for committing the crime. Throughout a media dialog, Rahul’s spouse, Meenakshi Bhat dominated out the chance that some folks from Bhat’s workplace might need conspired with the terrorists to kill him. She stated,
He used to say everybody behaves properly with him and no one can hurt him. But no one protected him, they (terrorists) should’ve requested somebody about him, in any other case, how would they’ve recognized.”
She additional stated that her husband, who was a authorities worker in Chadoora, had pleaded with the native administration on a number of events to switch him to the district headquarters as he felt insecure within the Budgam workplace, however regardless of repeated appeals, he was not transferred. Demanding a probe in connection to the incident, Rahul’s father, Bitta Ji Bhat, throughout an interview stated,
First, they requested who Rahul Bhat is after which they shot him. We wish inquiry. There was a Police Station 100 ft away. There should have been safety on the workplace however no one was there. They need to test CCTV footage.”
Meenakshi Bhat, in a distraught place after the demise of Rahul Bhat
The information of his demise by the hands of terrorists deeply shocked his mates and colleagues. His colleagues bear in mind him as an individual with humane qualities and utmost kindness. Whereas speaking to a media individual, a senior girl officer in Rahul’s division described him as,
conscientious official who labored exhausting within the tough instances post-August 5, 2019, when Kashmir was underneath lockdown for a month after the abrogation of the Article 370.”
She additional stated,
He labored day and evening to assist others and I’m unable to cope with his demise.”
Manoj Sinha, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, in a media dialog condemned the barbaric killing of Rahul Bhat, and stated,
I strongly condemn the barbaric killing of Rahul Bhat by terrorists at Budgam. These behind this despicable terror assault won’t go unpunished. J-Ok authorities stands in solidarity with the bereaved household on this hour of grief.”
Protests
Quickly after the information of Rahul’s demise went viral, a number of working workers, together with these from the bulk neighborhood, got here out on the roads of Jammu and Kashmir to protest in opposition to the killing of Rahul Bhat by the terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba.
A person portray Rahul Bhat’s image as a tribute to him
The locals expressed their anger over Rahul’s killing and requested for a safe surroundings for Kashmiri Hindus residing within the area. Talking to a media channel, one native stated,
Kashmiri Pandits ought to be given shelter at one place and jobs ought to be given within the close by areas together with safety. Solely then they’ll stay protected. It’s naturally a focused killing. Barging contained in the workplace and looking for him is a focused killing. That is being accomplished to cease them from returning to Kashmir once more.”
The protesters typically included the Kashmiri Pandit workers from the Sheikhpora-Budgam migrant colony. They first assembled on the Sheikhpora space of Budgam district, in central Kashmir and had been marching in direction of the Srinagar Worldwide Airport after they had been stopped by a posse of police personnel.
Kashmiri Pandits throughout a protest in opposition to the killing of Rahul Bhat
They had been shouting the slogans, searching for the arrest of Rahul Bhat’s killers and a stern punishment for them. They stated that they’ve knowledgeable the administration and police that the Lt. Governor ought to go to the spot and provides them assurance about their safety and be sure that the culprits concerned within the killing of Rahul Bhat wouldn’t be spared. The police requested the protestors to disperse however they refused to maneuver and insisted on transferring forward following which the police used tear smoke shells and gentle lathi-charge to disperse the protest carried out by the Kashmiri Pandit workers.
Kashmiri Pandits block highways in Jammu and Kashmir as part of their protest in opposition to the killing of Rahul Bhat
Final Rites
Rahul Bhat’s final rites had been carried out on the Bantalab cremation floor on 13 Might 2022 in presence of his relations and law enforcement officials. Mukesh Singh, ADGP Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, and Avny Lavasa, Deputy Commissioner Jammu had been current on the cremation floor for the final rites.
Rahul Bhat’s Final Rites being carried out in Jammu
Rahul Bhat’s Homicide Avenged
A couple of days after the brutal killing of Rahul Bhat, his killers had been eradicated by the safety forces in Bandipora. Each the terrorists had been gunned down in a joint operation carried out by the Indian military and the Jammu and Kashmir police. The terrorists had been recognized as Faisal and Ukasa.
Information/Trivia
- Reportedly, Rahul was among the many first three Kashmiri Pandits who returned to Kashmir after securing a authorities job underneath the Prime Minister’s Rehabilitation programme in 2010.
- Bhat was the second Kashmiri Pandit to have been shot lifeless since 2021; Makhan Lal Bindroo, a outstanding member of the Kashmiri Pandit neighborhood was shot lifeless by militants on 6 October 2021. In the course of the interval between August 2019 and March 2022, round 14 folks (together with Rahul Bhat) belonging to Jammu and Kashmir’s minority Hindu neighborhood, have been killed by militants in varied elements of Kashmir. The targetted individuals principally included outstanding businessmen, sarpanch, and block improvement council members of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
- When the locals began protesting over the slaying of Rahul Bhat in Jammu and Kashmir, the militants delivered a menace letter to the general public, asking migrants and the RSS brokers to depart the valley or face demise. Instantly focusing on the Kashmiri Pandit neighborhood, the letter signed by the terrorist group’s commander says that there isn’t a house for Kashmiri Pandits ‘who need one other Israel in Kashmir to kill Kashmiri Muslims.’
- Reacting to the menace letter, Ashwini Bhat, Rahul Bhat’s cousin, appealed to the Indian authorities to present a befitting response to the militants. He stated,
We have to see within the gentle and be sure that terrorism is lifted aside and no mercy is granted to any terrorists.”
- When the locals began protesting over the slaying of Rahul Bhat in Jammu and Kashmir, the militants delivered a menace letter to the general public, asking migrants and the RSS brokers to depart the valley or face demise. Instantly focusing on the Kashmiri Pandit neighborhood, the letter signed by the terrorist group’s commander says that there isn’t a house for Kashmiri Pandits ‘who need one other Israel in Kashmir to kill Kashmiri Muslims.’
- On 18 Might 2022, Jammu and Kashmir administration handed over monetary help of Rs. 5 lakh to Rahul Bhat’s household. The administration additionally sanctioned the compassionate appointment of Bhat’s widow, Meenakshi Raina, within the pay stage of Rs. 14,800-47,100 in authorities increased secondary faculty Nowabad, Jammu.
Jammu divisional commissioner Ramesh Kumar fingers over the appointment letter and ex gratia quantity to a member of the family of slain authorities worker Rahul Bhat in Jammu
