Srinagar, June 02: Militants on Wednesday shot dead a municipal councillor in Tral area in Kashmir’s Pulwama district, police said. A woman was also injured in the shooting, reports said.
A police spokesman said that Rakesh Pandita, who was visiting Tral without his personal security officers was fatally shot by militants. “Despite provided two PSOs and secured hotel accommodation in Srinagar, the said councillor went to Tral without PSOs,” said the spokesman on Twitter. “Area [has] been cordoned off and search is going on.”
Quoting a police officer, a local news agency reported that Pandita, a resident of Tral Bala-C, was fired upon by three unidentified militants while he was visiting a friend at Tral Payeen.
He said Pandita died on the spot while the daughter of his friend was seriously injured in the shooting.
The woman, identified as Asifa Mushtaq, was shifted to SMHS hospital in Srinagar for treatment said the officer.
A police spokesperson said, three unidentified militants, fired indiscriminately upon a Municipal Councillor of Tral town namely Rakesh Pandita son of Somnath resident of Tral Bala who was visiting his friend at Tral Payeen.
In this incident, Rakesh Pandita and the daughter of his friend received serious gunshot injuries. Rakesh Pandita succumbed to his injuries while another injured person has been shifted to the hospital for treatment of her injuries.
The police have registered a case in this regard under relevant sections of law. An investigation is in progress and officers continue to work to establish the full circumstances of this crime besides why he was without any security at the time of the incident. The area has been cordoned off and searches in the area is going on to nab the militants involved in the attack.
Ms Mehbooba Mufti, the president of PDP in her tweet message said, “Shocked to hear that BJP leader Rakesh Pandit has been shot dead by militants. These senseless acts of violence have brought only misery to J&K. My condolences to the family & may his soul rest in peace.”
J&K Peoples’ Conference President, Sajjad Lone in his tweet message expressed shock over the incident. “Yet again gunmen attack a non-combatant. This gun is a curse. Just ponder. Since the day this menace came into Kashmir. What have we seen? In a nutshell total disempowerment of the Kashmiri. Dear gunmen. Can u please go back to where u came from? We have had enough” read the tweet.
