A senior leader of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was shot dead by suspected militants in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Monday afternoon.
Abdul Gani Dar, 60, an advocate by profession, was travelling in his vehicle when he was stopped near Pinglana village by armed militants who asked him to disembark.
“Dar was shot at by militants on the Srinagar-Pulwama Highway,” said Senior Superintendent of Police, Pulwama, Rayees Mohammad Bhat. He succumbed to his injuries in a hospital. Hospital sources said he took three bullets.
Second killing of leader
This is second killing of a PDP leader in Pulwama district this month. Bashir Ahmad Dar was killed on April 3. Pulwama district, which is part of the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, is going to the polls on May 25.
The attack comes close on the heels of State Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s meeting PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh. PDP’s alliance partner BJP condemned the attack. “Sad to hear about the militant attack on PDP district president of Pulwama in J&K. It is high time tougher measures were taken against militants,” wrote BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav on Twitter.
“Spilling innocent blood is not only insane, but inhuman too,” said State Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu, who is an MLA from Pulwama district. “And it is going to devour Kashmir.”
Opposition National Conference spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu said this was yet another incident reflecting the alarming state of affairs in J&K. “The PDP-BJP government has plunged the State into total chaos.”
