Former BJP Sarpanch shot dead; 2 tourists injured in militant attacks

Woman injured in militant attack admitted in hospital. —Excelsior/Sajad Dar
Woman injured in militant attack admitted in hospital. —Excelsior/Sajad Dar

Fayaz Bukhari

SRINAGAR, May 18: In two back-to-back militant attacks in South Kashmir that is voting on May 25, a former Sarpanch and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) worker was shot dead by militants in Shopian district while two tourists were injured in Pahalgam area of Anantnag district tonight.

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An official said that militants fired upon former Sarpanch and BJP worker Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh at Herpora village in Shopian district from a close range.
He was immediately shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment, where he succumbed to his injuries. Senior police officers rushed to the area which has been cordoned off and a massive operation has been launched against the militants responsible for the attack.
In another militant attack, a tourist couple was injured after militants fired upon them in Yannar area of the tourist resort of Pahalgam in district Anantnag tonight.
They were fired at Yannar area of tourist place and were evacuated to a nearby hospital. They have been identified as Farah Khan and Tabrez Khan of Jaipur in Rajasthan.
Taking on to micro-blogging platform X, the Kashmir police wrote: “Terrorist fired upon and injured a lady Farha R/o Jaipur and spouse Tabrez at Yannar, Anantnag. Injured evacuated to hospital for treatment. Area cordoned off. Further details shall follow.”
The condition of the injured tourists is said to be stable so far. Senior police officers rushed to the area, which has been cordoned off and a massive operation has been launched against the militants responsible for the attack.
“We strongly condemn the killing of ex-Sarpanch Aijaz Ahmad Sheikh in Heerpora, Shopian, South Kashmir, by terrorists today,” a statement issued by the BJP said.
“Aijaz Ahmad was a brave soldier of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP firmly stands with the family of Aijaz Ahmad, who lost his life in this terror attack”.
The Anantnag-Rajouri constituency is voting on May 25. The constituency was voting on May 7 but the polls were deferred due to bad weather.