SRINAGAR: Three BJP workers were shot dead by militants in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, police said.
The Resistance Front (TRF), believed to be a shadow group of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the killings.
Fida Hussain, Umer Hajam and Umer Rashid Beigh were shot by militants in YK Pora area of Kulgam district late on Thursday evening, a police official said.
He said the trio was rushed to a local hospital at Qazigund where doctors declared them dead on arrival.
In a message in English and Hindi on its social media account, the TRF said "crematoriums will get overbooked".
Militants have since June stepped up attacks on BJP workers and leaders in the union territory, killing eight of them so far.
In a similar attack in Bandipora in July, a BJP leader, his father and brother were killed by the ultras.
Meanwhile, militants fired upon and injured a civilian in Shopian district, police said.
The injured person was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, the police said.
Further details were being ascertained.
PM, J&K L-G condemn the killings
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday condemned the killings and said they were bright youngsters doing excellent work there.
"I condemn the killing of 3 of our young Karyakartas. They were bright youngsters doing excellent work in J&K," Modi said in a tweet.
"My thoughts are with their families in this time of grief. May their souls rest in peace," he tweeted.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday also strongly condemned the murders.
Expressing anguish over the killings, the Lt governor said the perpetrators of violence are the enemies of humanity and such cowardly acts cannot be justified.
Law shall take its course and the guilty shall be dealt with sternly, he added.
The Lt governor assured all the possible help from the government to the bereaved families.
He also conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members and prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls.