Amreen Bhat had started performing 15-16 years ago. A television artiste and singer, she was a popular face from Kashmir on both YouTube and Instagram.
"But she had never once before received any death threats," recounted Khazir Mohammad, father of the 35-year-old artiste who was shot dead on 25 May by alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists at her residence in Jammu and Kashmir's Budgam after "she refused to sing at a wedding they invited her for."
Her 10-year-old nephew was also shot in the arm.
How the Incident Unfolded
"On Wednesday, somebody knocked on our door. I opened it to find two unknown people who asked me where Amreen was. I thought they were guests, so I asked my son to call her from her room," said Amreen Bhat's sister Rizi.
Amreen's sister Rizi.
(Photo: The Quint)
Amreen's sister Rizi.
(Photo: The Quint)
When Bhat came outside her room, she asked the two men who they were. They replied that they were neighbours, and asked Bhat to sing at a wedding function at their home, Rizi told The Quint.
However, Bhat refused, saying, "I don't sing at strangers' houses."
"That's all she said. After that one of them took out his pistol. She ran towards her room, and the armed man followed her inside and fired two shots at her. He shot my son in the arm as well."
Bhat was then taken to a local hospital, where doctors declared her brought dead.
The Kashmir Zone Police said that terrorists of the LeT were involved in the killing. On Friday, 27 May, they confirmed that two newly recruited terrorists – identified as Shahid Mushtaq Bhat and Farhan Habib – who were behind Bhat's killing, were killed in a gunfight.
'She Was My Pillar of Support': Amreen's Father
At their residence in Hushroo village in Budgam's Chadoora tehsil, Bhat's father Khazir Mohammad calls Amreen his "pillar of support".
"She never complained to me that someone was threatening her," he said.
Amreen's father Khazir.
(Photo: The Quint)
Bhat's brother-in-law, who had gone to the mosque to recite namaz when the incident occurred, said that the woman's murder was "beyond humanity".
"I don't know who has done this. Whoever it is, this act is beyond humanity. Such an innocent girl was gunned down. What was her fault?" he questioned.
Amreen's brother-in-law.
(Photo: The Quint)
‘Nothing Is Normal’: Omar Abdullah
After the news of Bhat's murder came to the fore, former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took to Twitter to condemn the killing and said that there cannot be any justification for killing innocent women and children.
"Her nephew is a young 10-year-old boy. Yesterday, it was a police constable’s daughter injured in an attack and today this young 10-year-old child. How does anyone justify these attacks?" he added.
He further stated that such incidents are happening frequently and that "nothing is normal," ANI reported.
"I'm not claiming normalcy. We've been saying nothing is normal. Areas in and around Srinagar used to be free of militancy. Now incidents are happening one after other. There is no justification for such attacks," he added.
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