Non-local vendor shot dead by terrorists in Srinagar, Pulwama

Top LeT terrorists neutralized in Pampore encounter

Srinagar: Two non-locals were shot dead by terrorists in Srinagar and Pulwama districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, police said.

Arvind Kumar Sah (30), a resident of the Banka area in Bihar, was shot at by the ultras outside a park at Eidgah in Srinagar in the evening, a police official said.

He said Kumar died on the spot.

In another incident, terrorists fired at and critically injured Saghir Ahmad, a carpenter hailing from Uttar Pradesh, in Pulwama district, the official said.

Ahmad succumbed to injuries in a hospital, he added.

The killings come on a day when police claimed to have gunned down three terrorists in a span of 24 hours who were involved in last week’s killings of members of minority communities.

The BJP has condemned Saturday’s killings.

Party spokesman Altaf Thakur said the killings of two non-locals is highly condemnable and shocking.

He urged the police to nab the killers and punish them sternly.

Former chief minister and national Conference leader Omar Abdullah also condemned the killings.

“Strongly condemn the killing of street vendor Arvind Kumar in a terror attack in Srinagar today. This is yet another case of a civilian being targeted like this. All Arvind Kumar did was come to Srinagar in search of earning opportunities & it’s reprehensible that he was murdered,” Omar tweeted.

People’s Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone termed the attacks as cowardly.

“This is pure terror. Yet again a non-local vendor shot and killed in Idgah. What a shame. How cowardly can it get,” Lone tweeted.

In another incident a civilian, who was abducted by unknown gunmen in Nikloora area of Litter hamlet in South Kashmir's Pulwama district was later rescued safely, police said.

An official said that suspected militants abducted a civilian namely Shakeel Ahmad Sofi, son of Ghulam Mohammad Sofi of Nikloora Pulwama, who is a shopkeeper by profession.

He said that soo after the incident police party rushed to spot and managed to rescue him safely.

It is pertinent to mention here that Shakeel Sofi is brother a militant Shameem Sofi who was arrested recently in his own village in first week of this month

Meanwhile a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Commander was among the two terrorists killed in an encounter in the Pampore area of Pulwama district on Saturday, informed Jammu and Kashmir Police.

Police, in a statement, said LeT terrorist Umar Mustaq Khandey, who was neutralised in Drangbal, Pampore, had earlier killed two police officers in Srinagar.

The police also recovered incriminating materials including arms and ammunition.

“Rwo terrorists killed. Incriminating materials, including arms and ammunition, recovered. Search going on. Further details shall follow,” the police said.

“LeT terrorist Umar Mustaq Khandey who martyred our two colleagues SgCT Mohd Yousf and Ct Suhail Ah-in Baghat, Srinagar while they were having tea, neutralised in Drangbal, Pampore. Amongst various other crimes of the terrorists, this stands out as most unforgivable,” Kashmir Zone Police tweeted.

The search is going on and further details are awaited.

Earlier today, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Umar Mustaq Khandey was trapped.

He is involved in the killings of two police personnel at Baghat, Srinagar and other terror crimes.

“After October 8, 11 terrorists were killed in nine encounters so far. Two terrorists are trapped and will be killed soon,” said IGP Kashmir had said earlier.