Omar Abdullah condemns Delhi blast, demands strictest punishment for guilty
Only a few elements disturb peace, majority of Kashmiris want harmony: Omar Abdullah
Jammu, November 13: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah strongly condemned the recent blast near Delhi’s Red Fort, calling the attack “shameful and unforgivable,” and stressed that the perpetrators must receive the strictest possible punishment. At the same time, he urged that innocent Kashmiris should not become targets of suspicion or harassment in the aftermath of the incident.
Speaking to reporters, the Chief Minister said the blast carried out in an explosives-laden vehicle driven by Dr. Umar Nabi from Pulwama had caused unimaginable tragedy, taking 12 lives and injuring many others. The attack is now linked to an interstate “white collar” Jaish-e-Mohammed module spanning Kashmir, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Hours before the explosion, authorities recovered 360 kilograms of suspected ammonium nitrate and a cache of arms from the Faridabad residence of another Kashmiri doctor, Muzammil Ganaie, who is among eight individuals arrested so far.
Abdullah said there can be no justification for such violence and insisted that those responsible should face the harshest consequences under the law. Yet he warned against painting the entire Kashmiri population with a broad brush. “Every resident of Jammu and Kashmir is not a terrorist. Not every Kashmiri supports terrorism. Only a handful of misguided people disturb peace and harmony,” he said, cautioning that stereotyping Kashmiris would make it harder to maintain social balance and unity.
He stressed that national security agencies must act firmly against the guilty but with sensitivity toward innocent civilians. “Those who are responsible for this attack must be punished with full severity. But innocent people should not get caught in the crossfire. Justice must be firm, but also fair,” he added.
When asked about the arrest of Srinagar doctor Arif Nisar Dar, who had been dismissed from Government service in 2023 for alleged terror links, Abdullah questioned why no criminal action had been taken earlier. “If evidence existed, why was it not presented in court? Why was he not prosecuted? Simply dismissing someone from service does not address the deeper issue, and today we see the outcome of that,” he remarked.
Abdullah highlighted that educated individuals getting involved in extremist activities is not new, recalling earlier instances involving university faculty members. He said the focus should be on evidence-based action rather than symbolic measures.
Reiterating that the overwhelming majority of Kashmiris desire peace, he urged the public and authorities to ensure that the actions of a few do not lead to collective suspicion or hostility toward an entire community. “When every Kashmiri Muslim is viewed through the same lens, it becomes very difficult to keep things on the right track,” he reminded.
With the investigation expanding across multiple states, the Chief Minister assured that the Government supports a thorough and impartial probe that protects both national security and civil rights.
