Kashmiri Pandit shot dead by militants in Kashmir’s Budgam

A Kashmir Pandit (Hindu) employee was shot dead by militants inside a government office in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Thursday.

Reports said two pistol-borne militants barged into the Tehsil office at Chadoora and shot at Rahul Bhat, a clerk in Revenue department, from point-blank range. He was immediately shifted to a hospital, where he was declared dead.

“Terrorists fired upon one employee namely Rahul Bhat from minority community in Tehsildar office Chadoora, Budgam,” Kashmir Zone Police tweeted.

“The injured was immediately brought to SMHS Hospital, Srinagar for treatment where he succumbed to his injuries. Preliminary investigation reveals that 2 terrorists are involved in this heinous crime and have used pistol for committing this crime,” police added.

Bhat, who was employed under Prime Minister’s Package, was presently residing at migrant colony Sheikhpura in Budgam district.

Reports said immediately after the attack, police and security forces cordoned off the area to nab the assailants.

No militant organisation claimed responsibility for the attack. However, police sources said, Bhat was shot dead by militants of The Resistance Front (TRF), an affiliate of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba outfit.

This was the third attack on a member of the minority community in the Valley this year. On April 13, militants shot dead Satish Kumar Singh, a Rajput, outside his home in Kakran village in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

On April 4, militants shot at and injured a Kashmiri Pandit, Bal Krishan Bhat, in Kulgam district.

The targeted killings had started in October last year with victims being mostly migrants from outside Kashmir who came in search of jobs, and indigenous Kashmiri Pandits. Seven civilians were killed in five days in October 2021 - among them a Kashmiri Pandit, a Sikh and two non-local Hindus.

According to official figures, at least 168 militants are operating in J&K, while 75 have been killed in encounters with security forces this year.