Militants gun down BJP leader in Kashmir
SRINAGAR: Militants shot dead a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) councillor in the Tral area of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.
Kashmir IG Vijay Kumar said at least three militants opened fire on municipal committee chairman Rakesh Pandita who was visiting his friend at Tral Payeen. Pandita was rushed to a hospital where he died, the IG added.
A woman identified as daughter of Pandita’s friend was also critically injured in the attack, he said.
Police said Pandita was residing in a secure accommodation in Srinagar and was provided with two personal security officers. “The councillor was not accompanied by the PSOs during his visit to Tral. Police and security forces have cordoned off the area and a massive search operation has been launched to nab the assailants, “Kumar said.
BJP spokesman Altaf Thakur condemned the killing of party leader. “Such attacks won’t stop BJP leaders from serving the people. He said attacking unarmed people is an act of cowardice. “The police must track down the culprits and punish them accordingly,” he added.
People’s Conference chairman Sajjad Lone also flayed the killing. “Yet again gunmen attack a non-combatant. This gun is a curse. Since the day this menace came into Kashmir, what have we seen. In a nutshell, total disempowerment of Kashmiris,” he tweeted.
THE COUNCILLOR WAS NOT ACCOMPANIED BY HIS PSOs AT THE TIME OF ATTACK, SAY POLICE