Militants on Tuesday shot dead a BJP worker in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said, taking the number of party activists killed in the last two years to 23.

1. J-K spokesman Altaf Thakur said nine of these 23 BJP activists were killed in Kulgam district alone in the past one year.

1. to officials, the assailants fired upon Javeed Ahmad Dar near his residence at Brazloo Jageer area of the south Kashmir district at around 4.30 pm on Tuesday.

1. who was BJP’s constituency president of Homeshalibugh assembly constituency, died on the spot, they said.
2. condemned the killing and called it a cowardly and barbaric act. “The militants are feeling frustrated and targeting innocents. Killing unarmed people won’t lead to anything. It is cowardly and a barbaric act,” he said, appealing to police to arrest the killers and punish them sternly.
3. said in the last two years, 23 BJP leaders/activists have been killed in the union territory.

“In the past one year, nine deaths of BJP leaders/workers were reported in Kulgam district alone. A matter of serious concern,” he said.

1. BJP spokesperson said it was high time police nab the culprits and provide safe and secure accommodation to BJP workers and activists in south Kashmir.

“Measures need to be taken to prevent attacks on BJP leaders,” he said.

Meanwhile, a police spokesman said Dar was a contractor by profession, but a BJP party spokesman claimed that the victim was a BJP worker.

“According to the district police, no one had approached it for providing security to him (Dar) and even local BJP leaders did not share his name in the list of PPs (protected persons),” he said.

1. has registered a case in this regard under relevant sections of law and the matter is investigated.

1. attack also evoked condemnations from various other political parties. National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah denounced the killing of Dar.

1. news from Kulgam. Javved Ahmed was gunned down in cold blood. I unreservedly condemn this terror attack and send my heartfelt condolences to Javved’s family and colleagues. May Allah grant him place in Jannat,” he wrote on Twitter.

The NC said such dastardly acts are a hindrance to peace in Kashmir.

1. unequivocally condemns the assassination of BJP leader Javved Ahmad in Kulgam. This is an act of cowardice and such dastardly acts are a hindrance to peace in Kashmir. Our deepest condolences to bereaved family in this time of grief,” the party said on Twitter.

1. the killing, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said there is no place for such acts of violence.

1. the killing of BJP leader Javaid Dar and there is no place for such acts of violence. Sympathies and condolences to his family,” she said.

Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Conference (JKPC) led by Sajad Lone said it was a senseless and unjustifiable act of violence.

1. condemn the killing of BJP worker Javaid Ahmad Dar in strongest terms and without reservation. This is a senseless and an unjustifiable act of violence. We express our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family in this hour of grief,” the JKPC said in a tweet.

1. CPI(M) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami also condemned the killing and said violence in any form is condemnable.

Terming the incident as unfortunate, he said there is no justification to kill any unarmed person.

— PTI

Courtesy: The Tribune India: 17th August, 2021