Unidentified militants opened fire upon 22-year-old Akash Mehra, a civilian and the son of the owner of the noted eatery Krishna Dhaba, in Srinagar on Wednesday, less than 3 km away from the venue where the visiting diplomats held meetings.
Akasha Mehra, 22, received gunshot injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
A police spokesman said the incident took place around 7.45 p.m. at the Krishna Dhaba area of Dalgate in Srinagar.
Mr. Mehra, son of Ramesh Kumar Mehra, is a resident of Janipora in Jammu and at present living in Dalgate, Srinagar.
"Mehra has received gunshot injuries and was evacuated to a nearby hospital for treatment," the police spokesman said.
The police said militants fired from a pistol. "Two empty cartridges were recovered from the spot," the police said.
The police laid a cordon of the area to nab the attackers. "We have registered a case. Investigation is in progress and the officers continue to work to establish the full circumstances of this terror crime," the police said.
Dr. Nazir Choudhary, medical superintendent at the Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital, said, "The victim is under medical evaluation in the operation theatre."
Hospital sources said the youth has received a bullet in his chest and his condition is stated to be "critical".
Two militant outfits, The Resistance Front (TRF) and the Muslim Janbaz Force (MJF), claimed responsibility for the attack. However, the police could not verify the veracity of these claims immediately.
