A political activist was killed and two policemen injured in a militant attack in south Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district today, an official said. Three persons were injured in firing by militants near the Rajpora Chowk in Pulwama district, a police official said. He said one of the injured, a political activist identified as Ghulam Nabi Patel, resident of Shadimarg area, succumbed to injuries while being taken to a hospital.
The other two injured both policemen - were being treated upon at a hospital and their condition was stated to be stable, he said.
Security forces have cordoned off the area and a hunt has been launched to nab the attackers, the official said.
Militants fired at the vehicle of Gulam Nabi Patel in Rajpora Chowk of Pulwama, injuring him and his guards, a police officer said. Patel later succumbed to his critical injuries, while the injured security guards, Imtiyaz Ahmad and Bilal Ahmed, are being treated, the official said. Ghulam Nabi Patel was initially identified as a “senior Congress leader” by chief minister Mufti but the Congress said he had left the party in 2008.
“After leaving us, he joined the PDP (Mufti’s Peoples Democratic Party) and then he joined some other party,” GN Monga, the vice-president of the Congress’ state unit said.
The BJP’s spokesperson Altaf Thakur later said Patel had been working with the party for some time.
“He did not hold any party position but was associated with us for one year now,” said Thakur.
Former chief minister Omar Abdullah criticised the parties for “disowning” Patel and said they did so to “lie to their workers to claim they aren’t at risk from militant bullets”.
Top 10 developments on militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajpora Chowk of Pulwama
2. Mehbooba Mufti expresses her condolence on Congress leader's death: Heartfelt condolences to the family of senior Congress leader, G. N. Patel who was killed by militants today in Rajpora. Such cowardly acts achieve nothing but leave one more family devastated.
Heartfelt condolences to the family of senior Congress leader, G. N. Patel who was killed by militants today in Rajpora. Such cowardly acts achieve nothing but leave one more family devastated.
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) April 25, 2018
3. Congress politician Salman Nizami targets Mufti govt: Congress politician Salman Nizami tweeted, "Every day we hear the news of attacks/killings in Kashmir, BJP/PDP govt has completely failed to secure the lives of Kashmiris."
State BJP leaders condemn innocent killinghttps://www.facebook.com/altaf.thakur.3?hc_ref=ARSCRu5JMGbbYnlkeDsr_nS3p3qdnUybU2a4vWeOnvRHnbdO1GVEAXC_iOlhYmGXk_E
— Altaf Thakur (@altaf_thakur) April 25, 2018
4. Omar Abdullah slams PDP, Congress: Former J&K CM Omar Abdullah tweeted, "What terrible news to start the day with here. My heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased & prayers for the injured"
"Ghulam Nabi Patel is being denied the dignity of having been assassinated for belonging to a political party just so the PDP & Congress can lie to their workers to claim they aren’t at risk from militant bullets," he added.
What terrible news to start the day with here. My heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased & prayers for the injured. Allah Jannat naseeb karay. https://t.co/IP1A5Z25yY
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 25, 2018
Ghulam Nabi Patel is being denied the dignity of having been assassinated for belonging to a political party just so the PDP & Congress can lie to their workers to claim they aren’t at risk from militant bullets.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 25, 2018
5. 4 JeM militants killed on Tuesday: Four Jaish-e-Mohammed militants were killed on Tuesday in an gunfight in a forested area in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district.
A joint operation was started by the Rashtriya Rifles (RR), state police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Lam forest area of Tral following information about the presence of militants there.
6. 2 security forces killed: Along with 2 JeM militants, two security forces were killed yesterday. Sepoy Ajay Kumar of 42 RR, who was injured in the initial firing exchange, succumbed to his injuries at Army's 92 Base Hospital in Badami Bagh Cantonment area here. Latif Gujar of Jammu and Kashmir Police also succumbed to injuries.
7. 13 terrorists killed in a single day on April 1: Indian Army killed 13 terrorists in Kashmir in a single day on April 1. In three counter-insurgency encounters that took place during the day in the Valley, security forces gunned down as many as 13 militants in the Anantnag and Shopian districts of Jammu & Kashmir. The major counter-terrorism offensive claimed the lives of three Army jawans and four civilians. The militants who were killed included those responsible for the brutal killing of Lieutenant Umar Fayaz. Meanwhile, authorities imposed restrictions in parts of Srinagar on Monday to maintain law and order in the wake of gunfights in the Kashmir Valley the previous day.
With inputs from Agencies