Tributes and condolences began to pour in moments after veteran journalist and editor of Kashmiri publication Rising Kashmir Shujaat Bukhari was shot dead outside his office at Press Enclave, Srinagar.
J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said she was shocked and deeply saddened by Mr. Bukhari's sudden demise. "The scourge of terror has reared its ugly head on the eve of Eid. I strongly condemn this act of mindless violence & pray for his soul to rest in peace. My deepest condolences to his family," she tweeted.
"Terrorism has hit a new low with Shujaat’s killing. That too, on the eve of Eid. We must unite against forces seeking to undermine our attempts to restore peace. Justice will be done," Ms. Mufti added.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted saying he was in complete shock. "Shocked beyond words. May Shujaat find place in Jannat & May his loved ones find strength at this difficult time," he tweeted, adding, "Even in the last tweet he put out he was defending himself, his colleagues & his profession. He died in the line of duty doing what he did best & loved doing - journalism. Along with Shujaat his security chap was also killed & another lies injured in hospital. Prayers & condolences for them & their families also on this terrible night."
Home Minister Rajnath Singh expressed his condolences and added that Mr. Bukhari's killing was "an act of cowardice."
"It is an attempt to silence the saner voices of Kashmir. He was a courageous and fearless journalist. Extremely shocked & pained at his death. My thoughts and prayers are with his bereaved family," he tweeted.
The Editors Guild of India issued a statement saying they "unequivocally" condemned the attack. "The Editors Guild of India unequivocally condemns the assassination of Rising Kashmir Editor Shujaat Bukhari. This is a grave attack on press freedom and democratic voices. We will be issuing a more detailed statement soon."
Malini Parthasarathy, Director - Editorial Strategy, The Hindu, said she was deeply saddened. "Deeply saddened and stunned by the brutal murder of Shujaat Bukhari , a very dear friend, colleague and someone I’ve long admired for his gutsy and principled reporting. He called out extremism without mincing words. His assassination is unforgivable."
Journalist Nidhi Razdan tweeted, "Devastating news. @bukharishujaat has been shot dead in Srinagar. Shot coming out of his office. Such an utterly senseless senseless horrific act of violence. Don’t have any words."
Senior journalist Shekher Gupta: Heartbreaking, the loss of Shujaat Bukhari, an incredibly brave editor & an invaluable voice of middle-ground moderation. This is a loss for all Kashmiri’s, India and the entire journalistic community.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi said he was anguished to hear about the killing of Mr. Bukhari. "He was a brave heart who fought fearlessly for justice and peace in Jammu & Kashmir. My condolences to his family. He will be missed," Mr. Gandhi tweeted. The party's official twitter handle also conveyed its condolences. "Our condolences to the family of @bukharishujaat for their tragic loss in such a violent way. Our prayers and thoughts are with you."
D. Raja, national secretary, CPI: We condemn the killing of senior journalist Shujat Bukhari. It is shocking that journalists are being targeted in this manner and it is a sad day not just for Jammu and Kashmir but for the entire country. Shujat was known for his courage and conviction.
Human rights organisation Amnesty International wrote on their twitter account: We're deeply dismayed to hear about the killing of Shujaat Bukhari, editor of @RisingKashmir. He was a brave and outspoken voice for justice and equality in Jammu and Kashmir.