In a shocking incident, terrorists shot dead a 40-year-old Kashmiri Pandit sarpanch, in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Monday evening.
Sarpanch of Lukbawan village in Larkipora, Ajay Pandita was attacked at his orchard. He was immediately taken to a hospital but did not survive.
The police and the Army have launched a search operation to nab the terrorists who shot the sarpanch.
Today at about 1800hrs some unknown #terrorists fired upon one #Congress Sarpanch identified as Ajay Pandit at #Lokbawan #Anantnag who later on #succumbed to his injuries at hospital. #Police is on the spot. Further details shall follow. @JmuKmrPolice
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) June 8, 2020
Locals claim that the family of the sarpanch had migrated from south Kashmir early in the 1990s but returned nearly two years ago. He successfully contested the panchayat polls.
After the incident came to light, all state political parties condemned the gruesome attack on the sarpanch.
‘My condolences to the family and friends of Ajay Pandita, who sacrificed his life for the democratic process in Kashmir. We stand with you in this time of grief. Violence will never win,’ Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted.
Many even claimed that the sarpanch was pleading for security, however, the BJP Govt denied him security.
Congress Sarpanch Ajay Bharti had been pleading for security. Yet BJP Govt denied him security. This when the BJP-RSS miss no opportunity to exploit the Kashmiri Pandit issue. What hypocrites. They are morally responsible for Ajay’s death! pic.twitter.com/Vegbjd9DS3
— Salman Nizami (@SalmanNizami_) June 8, 2020
Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress president Ghulam Ahmad Mir also said that the sarpanch had no security cover, seeking a judicial inquiry into the gruesome incident.
Union minister Jitendra Singh claimed that it was a desperate attempt by anti-national elements to defeat the process of grassroots democracy, which is sought to be established in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time at the instance of PM Narendra Modi.
Condemning the killing, former chief minister Omar Abdullah said it is a ‘terror attack on a grassroots political worker’.
Also Read: Uttar Pradesh: Dalit Boy Shot By Upper Caste Youth Over Praying At Temple In Amroha
