Woman teacher shot at by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam dies

A female teacher working in a government school was shot dead by unidentified militants in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Tuesday.

“#Terrorists #fired upon one woman #teacher at High School Gopalpora area of #Kulgam. In this #terror incident, she has received #critical gunshot injuries. Being shifted to hospital. Area has been #cordoned off. Further details shall follow (sic),” Kashmir Zone Police tweeted.

A resident of Jammu, she was shifted to a nearby hospital where she succumbed to injuries. “#KulgamTerrorIncidentUpdate: Injured lady teacher, a #Hindu & resident of Samba (Jammu division) #succumbed to her injuries. #Terrorists involved in this #gruesome #terror crime will be soon identified & neutralized,” police said in another tweet.

The slain teacher was identified as Rajni, wife of Raj Kumar, a resident of Samba in Jammu.

Soon after the attack the area was cordoned off to nab the attackers, reports said.

The latest killing comes just days after militants shot dead a TV artiste Ambreen Bhat in Chadoora area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

Earlier on May 12, a Kashmir Pandit (Hindu) employee was shot dead by militants inside a government office in tehsil office Chadoora.

The new wave of attacks on Kashmiri Pandits and migrant workers started after the release of The Kashmir Files, a disturbing film on exodus of Pandits from the Valley at the start of militancy in 1990.

The Vivek Agnihotri-directorial has no doubt portrayed their pain, struggle and suffering, but at the same time vilified common Kashmiri Muslims as well.

The latest attack was the fourth 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.