Unidentified militants attacked a municipal office in Jammu and Kashmir’s Sopore, located about 55km north of Srinagar, on Monday afternoon.
A block development councillor and his security guard were killed in the firing, while many others were injured. At the time of the attack, a councillors’ meeting was taking place at the office.
Councillor Riyaz Ahmad and police officer Shafqat Ahmad were killed while councillor Shams-ud-din Peer was injured, police said adding that Peer along with other injured persons has been rushed to a hospital.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted, “News coming in of a militant attack on the municipal office in Sopore. My unequivocal condemnation of this attack together with my sympathies for the deceased & prayers for the injured.”
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The police have cordoned off the area.
Responding to the attack, the BJP said the death of its councillor will not hamper the morale of the party in Kashmir.
Condemning the incident, BJP general secretary Ashok Koul said such attacks will not be tolerated.
“In the incident, Riyaz was killed along with a security personnel. His father-in-law was also injured. Such acts are barbaric and highly condemnable. Such attacks will not be tolerated anymore. They are carried out to disturb the peace in the region," Koul said.
He also urged the police to immediately nab those responsible.
“We stand by the family in this difficult time…If the culprits will be punished, then in the future, such acts will not occur. Police should take immediate action,” said another BJP leader, Manzoor Ahmad Bhat.
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This is the first such attack on a BJP leader in Kashmir, this year.
Last October, militants killed three BJP workers in Kashmir’s Kulgam district. The victims were-- Fida Hussian, a 29-year-old BJP general secretary and two other party workers.
In August 2020, a BJP worker-- Abdul Hamid Najar, a resident of Budgam’s Mohiendpora area was killed by militants.
On the evening of July 8, last year, BJP leader Sheikh Waseem Bari, his father Bashir Ahmad and his brother Umer Sultan, were killed outside their residence in north Kashmir's Bandipora area.
