Target Killing continues, Kashmiri Pundit shot dead & brother injured at Apple Orchad

Srinagar: Militants shot dead a Kashmiri Pandit and injured his brother in a targeted attack in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, officials said.

The fresh killing sparked panic among the community, said the Kashmiri Pandit Sangarash Samiti (KPSS)- an apex body of the non migrant Pandits. KPSS appealed to the Hindu community members to leave the valley.

Police said two civilians from the minority community -- Sunil Kumar and Pintu Kumar were shot at in an apple orchard at Chotigam area in Shopian."One of them, Sunil Kumar, died and the other got injured," a police officer said.Police blamed the militants for the attack.

Soon after the attack, a massive hunt was launched to trace the attackers.This is the second targeted attack within 15 hours after a minority community member was injured on Monday evening when militants hurled a grenade in Gopalpora village of Budgam district.

Sunil is the second Kashmiri Pandit to have been killed in Kashmir this year. On May 12, a Kashmiri Pandit Rahul Bhat was shot dead at his government office in Budgam district.

The killing had sparked widespread protests by the community. Since then, over 5,000 Kashmiri Pandit employees - who had returned to Kashmir under the Prime Minister's employment package - have not resumed their work due to the fear of targeted attacks.

The killing of non migrant Pandit Sunil took place six days after three Lashkar-e-Taiba militants, including a top commander Lateef Rather who was allegedly involved in killing of Kashmiri Pandit employee Rahul Bhat and a woman TV artist Amreen Bhat, were shot dead in an encounter with security forces in Budgam district.

After the killing of Rather, Additional Director General of Police, Vijay Kumar had said that except one, Basit Dar of Kulgam, all militants involved in target killings have been neutralised in different encounters.

Militants have this year carried out nearly 15 targeted killings of civilians mostly non locals and panchayat members. Four policemen have also been shot dead in targeted attacks.The latest targeted killing of a minority community member has sparked widespread condemnation from J&K government and mainstream political parties.(UNI)