Srinagar-based Eatery Owner's Son Shot at by Militants, Police Say 'Victim's Condition Stable'

Suspected militants on Wednesday fired at and critically injured the son of a famous vegetarian eatery in highly secured Dalgate area of Srinagar city, the place not far away from the hotel where the foreign delegation interacted with cross section of Kashmiris earlier in the day.

According to Jammu and Kashmir Police, the victim has been identified as Aakash Mehra, who was at his shop Krishna Dhaba, when militants fired on him. Mehra was immediately taken to city-based SMHS hospital where his condition is now said to be stable.

Soon after the incident, the entire area has been cordoned off to nab the attackers. The locality is in close vicinity to the Gupkar residences of former chief ministers Omar Abdullah, his father Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti. Many officials have also put up in close proximity to the area.

Muslim Janbaz Force, a militant organisation which used to be active in the 1990s, has claimed responsibility for the attack in a press release that was circulated and made viral through social media. There is no way in which News18 could verify the veracity of the handout. According to the militant outfit, their cadres carried out the attack to target "non-Kashmiris", who are trying to secure the domicile of Jammu and Kashmir. The outfit warned of similar action against those who would would sell or buy land for outsiders or even broker deals for them. The outfit further said it will reward cadres who carried out the attack today.

This is the second such attack on non-Kashmiri businessman in last two months. Satpal Nishal, a jeweler from Punjab, was killed on December 31 last year. Militant outfit named The Resistence Front had claimed the responsibility for his killing saying he was linked to issuing of domicile to outsiders. The police had then said that they will investigate all aspects of the case.

Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Police has issued a statement regarding the firing incident. It said, "Today at about 1935hrs Srinagar Police received information about a terror crime incident at Krishna Daba area of Dalgate Srinagar where militants had fired upon a civilian. Senior police officers reached at the terror crime spot."

"Police has registered a case in this regard under relevant sections of law. Investigation is in progress and officers continue to work to establish the full circumstances of this terror crime. Area has been cordoned and search in the area is going on," reads the police statement.

Condemning the attack, Mufti said, "Deeply saddened by the attack on Krishna Dhaba at Sonawar in Srinagar. Extend my sympathies to the injured & his family. Violence is never the answer."

Expressing similar sentiments, Omar Abdullah said, "Very sorry to hear about the attack on the Krishna Dhaba in Srinagar, these attacks are unacceptable. I hope the injured person who is himself associated with the dhaba & is undergoing treatment in a city hospital makes a complete & speedy recovery."

The attack comes on a day when a group of envoys including those from several European Union countries and a few Organisation of Islamic Countries' member states began a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir to get a first-hand account of the situation in the newly carved union territory, especially after the recently-concluded local body elections.