Kathua (Jammu and Kashmi) [India], March 9 (ANI): The residents of Kathua have expressed their serious concerns over the target killing of three people in the upper regions of Billawar.

BJP, RSS, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad have raised strong protest over the Billawar incident and have blocked the national highway near Kalibari, Kathua.

The protestors burnt the effigy of Pakistan and alleged the security agencies for failing to control the target killing of residents in Billawar.

The protesters further stated that five people have been killed in the region since the last month and demanded to hand over the security responsibility of the upper areas of Kathua district to the Army.

A protestor Rahul Dev spoke to the reporters and said that the three deceased were kidnapped and killed by those who live in India and favour Pakistan.

'This incident happened yesterday in Billawar and our three young men who were going to a wedding were kidnapped and targeted killing was done. Our Hindu brothers were deliberately killed. These are none other than those who live in Billawar and say they are from India and sing songs of Pakistan, they kidnapped and brutally murdered our three people', he said.

Three people who went missing in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir were found dead by security forces in a river on Saturday.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, a terrorist of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit was arrested in a joint operation by the Uttar Pradesh Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) of Saharanpur and Kathgarh Police from Poonch, Jammu and Kashmir after 17 years.

The terrorist identified as Ulfat Husain was produced in the court. He was also arrested back in 2002 along with four others and was released in 2008, said Superintendent of Police (SP) Ranvijay Singh.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday that the three youth who had gone missing from Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir were killed by terrorists and termed it as a 'matter of great concern.

In a post on X, Singh said that the killings appeared to be a 'deep conspiracy' to spoil the atmosphere in the area.'The brutal killing of 3 youths by terrorists in the Bani area of the Kathua district is extremely sad as well as a matter of great concern. There appears to be a deep conspiracy behind spoiling the atmosphere in this peaceful area,' he said on X.

'We have discussed this matter with the concerned officials. The Union Home Secretary himself is reaching Jammu so that the situation can be assessed on the spot. I am confident that it will be ensured that such incidents do not happen again and the confidence of the people remains strong,' he added (ANI)