Militants abduct, kill civilian in J&K
SRINAGAR: In the third attack on civilians in south Kashmir in the last two days, militants abducted and shot dead a civilian in Pulwama late on Thursday night, police said on Friday.
Hours before Manzoor Ahmad Lone, 40, was whisked away from his home at Dogripora and killed at Gulzarpora village six kms a way, unknown g unmen attacked a National Conference (NC) block president in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district, also in south Kashmir. A day earlier, a purported army deserter was shot dead in Pulwama. A police spokesman confirmed the abduction and death of Lone. “A case has been registered and investigations have begun,’’ he said.
Earlier on Thursday evening, unidentified gunmen shot at Bijbehara NC block president Mohammad Ismail Wani. Officials said they opened fire on the 62-year-old around 6pm at Thajweera village where he had gone to attend a condolence meeting. He was targeted when he was leaving the meeting and took several bullets in the chest. He is undergoing treatment at a Srinagar hospital.
On Wednesday, unknown gunmen pumped bul l e t s i nt o Showkat Ahmad Naik, who deserted the army last year, near his home in Pinglina village in Pulwama, officials said. Naik collapsed and died on the spot.
There were reports that Naik worked with the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry regiment, but the army clarified that he had left without taking oath as a soldier and was, therefore, a civilian. No militant outfit has owned responsibility for the back-to-back attacks but the police said militants operating in south Kashmir were involved in all of them. The attacks have spread panic in south Kashmir, especially in view of the Lok Sabha elections which will be held in seven phases between April 11 and May 19.
Officials said three-phase elections had been recommended for south Kashmir because of the tense situation prevailing in the region. Things had taken a nosedive after the suicide strike on a Central Reserve Police Force convoy in Pulwama on February 14, in which 40 troopers were killed. The Pakistan-based Jaish-e-mohammed had claimed responsibilty for the attack.
“Yet again political workers targeted. NC worker injured in Bijbehara. Not only is it condemnable but also an appeal for introspection. What have u achieved by killing workers in the last three decades. What will u achieve now. Nothing but adding to the army of orphans and widows,’’ tweeted Peoples Conference chairman Sajjad Lone.