Militants gun down BJP sarpanch, his wife in Anantnag
SRI NAGAR: A day after Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said militancy would be wiped out from pious land of Jammu and Kashmir, terrorists on Monday shot dead a BJP leader, who was also a sarpanch, and his wife in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Police has blamed Lashkar terrorists for the killings.
A police official said the terrorists barged inside the rented accommodation of BJP leader and Sarpanch Ghulam Rasool Dar at Lal Chowk area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district around 4 pm. “Terrorists fired indiscriminately on the BJP leader and his wife Jawhara Begum, a panch, present there. Both sustained multiple gunshot wounds and were shifted to nearby hospital, where doctors declared them brought dead,” he said.
Dar, who was BJP district president Kisan Morcha, hailed from Redwani village of Kulgam district, also in south Kashmir. He and his wife were very active in Kulgam and were also felicitated by the party leadership.Immediately after the militant attack, police, CRPF and army men laid siege to the area and launched searches to track down terrorists. However, no arrest was reported till the time of going to press.
IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar blamed Lashkar-e-Toiba for the attack and said two bike-borne terrorists carried out the attack. Police have suspended the Personal Security Officer (PSO) of the slain BJP leader as he was found absent at the time of the attack. “The PSO will also be questioned,” a police officer said.
Asked whether the slain BJP leader and his wife were provided secured accommodation, the police officer said Dar was provided one at Snow cap hotel Kulgam.
The couple, he said, stayed there for a short period but were continuously insisting to stay at their house at Anantnag town and also submitted an undertaking in this regard. “On their request they were allowed to stay at their house in Anantnag and was also provided with one PSO,” the official said.
However, BJP spokesman Manzoor Bhat said adequate security was not provided to the slain BJP leader. BJP General Secretary (Org) Ashok Koul said terrorists are now frustrated after witnessing changes in Kashmir. “Those who are responsible would not be spared,” he said.