Anantnag: A local politician associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was shot at and killed by suspected militants Tuesday afternoon, here in Kulgam district of south Kashmir.

The slain has been identified as Javed Ahmad Dar, son of Muhammad Abdullah, a resident of Brazloo Jagir area of Kulgam district. Dar was the BJP’s constituency in-charge for Homeshalibugh assembly segment in the district for the past 3 years.

Dar is survived by his wife and an adopted son.

The incident took place at about 4:00 PM Tuesday afternoon. “The militants barged into his home and fired at him. He was killed on the spot,” a police official from the area said.

He said Dar was taken to hospital where the doctors confirmed his death. “We have registered a case and investigation has been taken up,” the official said.

It was not immediately known whether Dar was a “protected person” – provided with official security – or not.

His body was sent to Kulgam district hospital for medico-legal formalities. In Brazloo area, a large contingent of government forces cordoned the area off and tried to trace the militants, who had managed to flee after the shootout.

This is the second such incident in south Kashmir in just over a week’s time. On August 9, a BJP leader and his wife, from Kulgam district, were shot at and killed inside their rented accommodation in Lal Chowk area of Anantnag district.

BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur expressed grief over the killing. Former chief ministers of the erstwhile state, Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah, also took to Twitter and condemned the killing.

Suhail A Shah