Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha
ANI File Photo

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sarpanch and his wife were shot dead by militants on Monday in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, police told news agency PTI.

The ultras fired on BJP sarpanch Ghulam Rasool Dar, also the Kulgam district president of the saffron party's Kisan Morcha, and his wife Jawhara Banoo in Anantnag town in south Kashmir, a police official said.

He said the two were rushed to a hospital where they succumbed to their injuries.

Dar, a resident of Kulgam's Redwani, was a sarpanch affiliated with the BJP. He had unsuccessfully contested the last year's District Development Council elections.

Dar was currently living in a rented accommodation in Anantnag.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha has condemned the brutal attack.

"I strongly condemn brutal terrorist attack on Sarpanch GH Rasool Dar & his wife Jawhara Banoo of Redwani Bala,Kulgam. This is act of cowardice & perpetrators of violence will be brought to justice very soon. My deepest condolences to bereaved family in this time of grief," news agency ANI quoted Sinha as saying.

(With PTI inputs)