Militants shoot dead three BJP workers in Kashmir

Several BJP workers have announced resignations from the party as fear spreads among cadre

Militants on Thursday evening shot dead three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.

Sources said Sheikh Fida Hussain Itoo, BJP’s Yuva Morcha General Secretary of Kulgam, Umar Hajjam and Haroon Beigh were fired upon indiscriminately by unidentified militants in Y K Pora area of Kulgam, 75 km from here, on Thursday evening.

The injured were rushed to a nearby health facility, where they were declared brought dead, they said and added the slain were affiliated with the BJP.

A local news gathering agency KNO quoting Medical Superintendent of Emergency Hospital Qazigund, Dr Asima Nazeer said that the trio was brought dead to the hospital.

Reports said immediately after the incident, police and army rushed to the spot and launched a manhunt to nab the assailants.

In recent months several BJP activists have been shot dead by the militants in Kashmir. On September 23, militants shot dead block development council (BDC) chairman, affiliated with the BJP, in Khag area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

On August 6, BJP sarpanch Sajad Khanday was shot dead at Vessu, Kulgam. On July 8, a BJP leader, his father and his brother were shot dead by the militants outside their residence in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

Dozens of BJP workers, including panches and sarpanches publicly announced resignations after the killings spread a sense of fear among the saffron party functionaries and workers across Kashmir.