Separatists leaders Thursday condemned the killing of a Sikh youth by unidentified gunmen in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir last week.
They said killing of any human being irrespective of the faith he belongs to deserves highest form of condemnation.
In a joint statement issued here, separatist leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik said many attempts were made to trigger a sectarian wedge and the Sikh community was targeted time and again but they always stood shoulder to shoulder with the majority community and the ongoing freedom struggle.
They said when the gruesome incident of Chattisingpora massacre of Sikhs took place in 2000, the members of Sikh community "showed wisdom, remained patient and defeated the anti-Kashmir agencies and people".
"It is the collective responsibility of the (separatist) leadership and people to protect the minorities be that Sikhs, Hindus, and Buddhists as Islam also lay stress on protecting the members of minority community," the statement said.
Simranjeet Singh was shot dead by suspected militants on January 4 in Tral area of Pulwama district.