Anantnag: A Panchayat member was shot at and killed by unidentified gunmen on late Wednesday evening here in Kulgam district of South Kashmir.
The slain has been identified as Muhammad Yaqoob Dar, son of Ghulam Muhammad, a resident of Srandoo village in Kulgam district.
“He was brought dead to the hospital,” a doctor at Kulgam district hospital said, adding that Dar had bullet wounds to his chest and neck.
The incident took place at about 8:20 PM, Wednesday evening in Kulpora locality of Srandoo village, on the outskirts of main town Kulgam.
“He was returning home when some unidentified militants intercepted him and fired at him in an indiscriminate fashion,” a police official from the area said.
He said that some locals rushed to the spot and managed to evacuate him to the hospital but he had succumbed on the way.
“A case has been registered and an investigation has been taken up,” the police official said. Following the shootout a huge contingent of police and other forces cordoned the area off in a bid to try and nab the attackers.
The attackers had however managed to escape owing to darkness. There has been a brief lull in gunfights as well as civilian killings in south Kashmir, and remains to be seen whether this killing will be the start of a new cycle of violence.
Further details of the slain, including his political affiliations, could not be immediately verified. The details will be added to the story as and when available.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that (militants) fired upon a Panch (Independent) identified as Mohammad Yaqoob Dar at Kolpora Srundoo area of Kulgam,” police said in a statement.
Dar sustained critical gunshot injuries and was immediately shifted to nearby hospital for the treatment where he succumbed to his injuries, it said.
“Police have registered a case in this regard under relevant sections of law,” police said, adding, “Investigation is in progress and officers continue to work to establish the circumstances which lead to this incident.”
Area has been cordoned off and search in the area is going on, the police added.

Suhail A Shah