'Killing of TN youth will be final nail in Valley's tourism coffin'

The killing of a Chennai tourist in stone-pelting on Monday has evoked condemnation across Kashmir, with the tourism players in the Valley expressing apprehensions that the incident could further dent the fragile industry of the state.

The Travel Agents Association Kashmir (TAAK) termed the killing as the final nail in the tourism coffin in the Valley.
“There was already an impact. Naturally, because of this incident, it will be more. I think it will be the final nail in the coffin," TAAK president Ashfaq Siddiq told reporters.
Mehmood Shah, director, Tourism Kashmir, said they fear the incident will have an impact on the number of tourist arrivals.

Against Kashmiri ethos

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti termed the incident as heartbreaking, which goes against the Kashmiri ethos of hospitality and respect for guests. “The incident is a blot on the cultural value system of Kashmir and an attempt to bulldoze the economy. It is the murder of humanity,” she said.

“What are we teaching our children? To pick up stones and kill anyone walking on the road? This is not what Islam preaches. Our religion teaches us to take care of our guests. These people or boys who pick up stones to kill someone have no religion,” she said.

Opposition National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, tweeted: “We've killed a tourist by throwing stones at the vehicle he was travelling in. Let's try and wrap our heads around the fact that we stoned a tourist, a guest, to death while we glorify these stone-pelters & their methods (sic).”