SRINAGAR: Police has blamed militants for killing of BJP youth leader, whose throat-slit body was recovered from an orchard in Shopian area of south Kashmir.
SP Shopian Ambarkar Shriram Dinkar told New Indian Express that prime facie militants are responsible for killing of BJP youth leader Gowhar Ahmad Bhat.
The throat-slit body of BJP youth leader Gowhar was recovered from an orchard in Shopian on Thursday evening. His body had injury marks on face and near the ear.
“Our investigation is going on. We are investigating all the angles. A technical investigation is also going on,” Dinkar said.
Another police officer said they have launched investigations to ascertain which militant group is responsible for BJP youth leader’s killing.
The Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen militants are active in Shopian.
A large number of people attended the funeral prayers of slain BJP youth leader at his native place at Bonagam village in Shopian.
Gowhar was district president of BJP’s yuva morhca and had been associated with the party for over two years.
Senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh strongly condemned the killing of Gowhar.
He said heinous crime perpetrated by elements trying to push the state into chaos and confusion would not be tolerated and they would be dealt with sternly.
BJP State General Secretary (Org) Ashok Kaul said Gowhar said he was a torch bearer for peace and prosperity.
Terming his killing as a big loss to the party, he said, “Gowhar paid the price of being a hardcore nationalist. These sacrifices make our determination stronger”.
2 soldiers, militant killed
Meanwhile. two soldiers and a militant were killed in an overnight encounter in Samboora area of Pampore in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The gunfight had erupted last evening after militants fired on the joint search party of police, CRPF and army at Samboora area of Pulwama.
The fire was returned by the troops and in the ensuing gunfight, which continued till late midnight, two army men and a Jaish militant were killed. Sources said two militants also managed to escape during the course of gunfight. The slain Jaish militant was identified as Badar of Pakistan while the deceased army men were identified as sepoy Suraj Singh Topal, 25, and signalman Kushwah Pardip Singh, 22.
Topal had joined Army in 2012 and hailed from Village Falota in Chamoli district of Uttrakhand. He is survived by parents and two sisters. Signalman Kushwah had joined army in 2013 and hailed from village Savitrinagar in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He is survived by his parents and a brother.