In yet another targeted killing in Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, a migrant labourer from Bihar was shot dead by terrorists in Anantnag district on Wednesday.
The deceased has been identified as Raju Shah who was shot by militants from point blank range at Jablipora in Bijbehara area, resulting in critical injuries.
He was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to injuries.
The political parties in Kashmir condemned the incident with Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti calling it a "senseless act of violence".
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah asserted that such incidents will hinder peace while Democratic Progressive Azad Party chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad said people must stand together against such an act.
This is the third targeted killing in the Valley this year. On February 7, a Sikh man from Punjab was shot dead by unidentified militants in Srinagar while another civilian sustained grievous injuries. Amritpal Singh, 31, a resident of Amritsar, was shot by militants from point-blank range in the Habba Kadal area of Srinagar. He died on the spot.
On April 8, a non-local cab driver, identified as Dilranjeet Singh was shot and injured by terrorists in Shopian district.
The previous such attack was in October 2023, when a migrant worker from Uttar Pradesh was shot dead by terrorists in Pulwama. The attack came in less than 24 hours after Inspector Ahmad Wani was shot by militants while playing cricket in the Eidgah area.
The terrorists had carried out several attacks on non-local workers in the Valley, including in Anantnag and Shopian districts, last year.
Meanwhile, in another operation in Anantnag on Wednesday, two persons were detained after security forces seized arms, including a hand grenade, from them.
The operation ‘Naina’ was launched by the Army and J&K police based on specific intelligence about the presence of militants, said officials.
