Srinagar, 19 November (H.S.): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday claimed that revoking the special status of Jammu and Kashmir has not ended the bloodshed in the union territory, and said those responsible for security should be made accountable.

“We want this cycle (of violence) to stop. Jammu and Kashmir, especially Kashmir, has witnessed so much bloodshed in the last 30-35 years. We were told that this will not happen now and this cycle will end after 2019. But, it has not,” Abdullah told reporters in the south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

The Centre on August 5, 2019 abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to J-K. The erstwhile state was also bifurcated and downgraded into two Union territories – J-K, and Ladakh.

The chief minister said those responsible for the security in J-K should be made accountable.

“You will have to ask those responsible for our security as to why it (violence) has not ended. That responsibility does not lie in our hands,” he added.

While highlighting the security concerns, Abdullah said there is an incident of violence happening somewhere or the other.

“If a bomb is not exploding in Delhi, then it goes off here,” he said referring to the recent car blast near the Red Fort in Delhi, and Friday’s accidental blast in Nowgam Police station here.

He lamented that innocent people were losing their lives in such incidents.

The chief minister said he went to five places for condolences on Tuesday, and was scheduled to visit two more on Wednesday.

Abdullah visited the families of Aijaz Afzal Mir at HMT Zainakote, Mohammad Amin Mir at Bemina, and Showkat Ahmad Bhat at Qamarwari, all members of Forensic Science Laboratory team, Suhail Ahmad Rather at Natipora (revenue department chowkidar), and Mohammad Shafi Paray at Wanabal (tailor), who lost their lives in the Nowgam blast on Friday.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar