Rs 30L ex gratia to kin of J&K officer killed

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu on Friday announced a special ex gratia of Rs 30 lakhs for the next of the kin of junior agriculture extension officer Sheikh Zahoor Ahmed who was killed by terrorists in the line of duty.

Zahoor Ahmad and Hakura village Sarpanch Syed Mohammad Rafi were killed when terrorists had lobbed a grenade during the Back to Village-2 (B2V) programme at village Hakura of Anantnag district on Tuesday.

The Lt. Governor also directed the Rural Development Department to expeditiously process the compensation case of the deceased Sarpanch.

The LG observed that the inhuman and dastardly acts of terrorists are not going to deter the government from its resolve to reach out to the people and usher in a new era of participatory development.

"We condemn the barbaric act. We pay our rich tributes to the departed souls, who laid down their lives in the call of duty during a special welfare programme of the government under the Mission of Delivering Governance and Development at doorsteps," the LG said.

"The noble souls will be in our prayers and thoughts. We express our deepest sympathies with the bereaved families and pray for their courage and fortitude to bear the loss," Murmu said.

At the conclusion of the B2V event at Hakura on Tuesday, terrorists had lobbed a grenade and fired indiscriminately in which Sheikh Zahoor Ahmad and Hakura village Sarpanch Syed Mohammad Rafi had sustained injuries.

They succumbed to their injuries at Anantnag district hospital. Two other government employees also sustained injuries in the attack.

The Lt. Governor has further directed the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to ensure that the two injured employees receive the best medical treatment.