New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday that residents of the union territory were being unfairly singled out following the November 10 explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort. He criticised what he described as a growing suspicion toward Kashmiris after investigators identified a 28-year-old doctor from Pulwama, Dr Umar Nabi, as the suspected suicide bomber in the case.
Abdullah said the atmosphere had become so tense that even driving a vehicle with a J&K registration plate now felt risky. He added that he often hesitates while travelling without security personnel in the national capital, concerned that he might be stopped or questioned. His remarks came amid continuing investigations that have also linked two other arrested individuals, Dr Muzzamil Shakeel and Dr Shaheen Shahid, to Jammu and Kashmir.
The Delhi blast investigation has unfolded alongside arrests made just hours earlier, during which police seized nearly 3,000 kilograms of explosives and detained eight people. Authorities have described the network as a white-collar terror module operating across Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, with alleged links to Jaish-e-Mohammed and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind.
Addressing reporters in Kulgam, Abdullah said the promise that violence would end after the revocation of Article 370 had not been fulfilled. He noted that the region had already endured decades of conflict and that recent incidents, including the accidental blast in Nowgam, continued to claim innocent lives. According to him, responsibility for restoring peace now lies with those in charge of security arrangements, not with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of the former state into the Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh took place on August 5, 2019. Abdullah said the events since then showed that the situation on the ground had not stabilised as expected and urged authorities to address the ongoing security challenges more effectively.
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