J & K gives Rs 5 L cheque to tourist’s family

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department on Sunday handed over a cheque for Rs five lakh to the family of a tourist from Chennai who was killed by stone-pelters here in May, officials said.

The stone-pelting incident had received widespread condemnation. On the directions of Tourism Minister Tassaduq Mufti, Director, Tourism, Kashmir, Mahmood A Shah on Sunday met in Chennai, the family of a 22-year-old R Thirumany, who died in stone-pelting incident at Narbal on May 8, an official spokesman said.

He said the official handed over a cheque for Rs 5 lakh to the family. No amount can compensate the loss of the life, the whole J&K state shares the grief of the family, Shah said at Press Club, Chapak.

After the incident on May 8, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and the Tourism Minister, on the behalf of entire state, had apologized for the incident and the human loss.

The chief minister had also handed over a cash amount of Rs 2 lakh to the bereaved family, officials said. Shah claimed the incident was an "isolated" one and other tourists who were part of the group completed their travel safely.

Every Kashmiri regretted the incident including those in the travel trade, who even held a press conference to condemn it, he said. Assuring that Kashmir continued to be safe for travel, Shah urged travel agents in Chennai to keep promoting the destination.

South India, especially Chennai, was emerging as a good market and J&K receives good flow of tourists from these places, Shah said.