Senior PDP legislator and former cabinet minister Javid Mustafa has blamed party colleague and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for the ''targeted killing'' of the three civilians by the security forces during an encounter with a militant at Chadoora in Budgam.
Chadoora is part of Mustafa's assembly constituency which he has consistently won since the advent of the PDP in 2002.
The killings have sparked off a political outrage as it came 11 days ahead of the by- polls for Srinagar Parliament constituency that includes the district of Srinagar, Budgam, and Ganderbal.
Mustafa, who is considered a heavyweight in the party, said the forces deliberately targeted the youth Zahid Rashid, Saqib Ahmed, and Afaq Ahmed.
“They could have aimed at lower parts of the body,'' he said. '' But one was hit in the neck, another in the chest and the third one in the heart.''
“It is a case of targeted killings and Mehbooba is responsible for it as home minister of the state. She got the three youth killed,'' a seemingly angry PDP leader said.
The three youths, who were shot at during the encounter, was rushed to the hospital where they succumbed to their injuries.
The encounter began in the morning and ended around 6 pm after forces blasted the hideout with IEDs.
The Srinagar constituency is considered relatively safe for National Conference candidate Farooq Abdullah. The NC is contesting the election in alliance with the Congress. The PDP, which is banking on the Shia votes, has fielded Nazir Ahmed against Farooq.
The separatists have called for a Kashmir bandh on Wednesday against the killing of three youth by the army.
Late in the evening, there were reports of stone pelting from various parts of Kashmir, especially Kulgam, the hometown of the militant killed in the encounter.
