Sarpanch killed, tourist couple injured in twin attacks in southern Kashmir
former Sarpanch was shot dead and a non local couple was injured in Anantnag and Shopian districts of southern Kashmir.
The Jammu and Kashmir police informed that unidentified gunmen fired at former sarpanch Aijaz Ahmad Sheikh in Herpora area of Shopian, who later succumbed to injuries. Sheikh was a member of the BJP and remained a vocal supporter of the party in and outside Kashmir Valley. Soon after the attack, armed forces cordoned the whole area and search operation was started to track the attackers.
In another attack in Yanier area near the famous tourist spot of Pahalgam a non local tourist couple was injured when unidentified gunmen attacked their tenement on the banks of river lidder. The injured were identified as Farah Khan and her spouse Tabrez of Jaipur in Rajasthan. The couple was shifted to hospital where their condition is stated to be stable. Pahalgam is the main route for 52 day long Amarnath Yatra which is starting from June 29.
Political parties across the spectrum condemned the attacks but also questioned the timing of the attacks in the wake of Lok Sabha elections scheduled on May 25 in Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency.
«While we condemn the attack in Pahalgam today that resulted in injuries to two tourists followed by another attack on a sarpanch in Herpora, Shopian — the timing of these attacks given that the South election was delayed without any reason is a cause of concern. Especially keeping in mind normalcy claims touted by GoI,» said Mehbooba Mufti, who is fighting
