Jammu and Kashmir: BJP affiliate shot dead by terrorists in Pulwama district

Shabir Ahmed Bhat, an affiliate of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was shot dead by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district in the early of Wednesday.

As reported by the news agency ANI Bhat was shot dead at 2.30 am by the terrorists at his home in Pulwama's Rakh-e-litter village. The agency further reported that Bhat was the BJP constituency president for the Pulwama district.

BJP president Amit Shah condemned the dastardly killing of the BJP worker, he tweeted," Anguished to learn about the killing of BJP karyakarta, Shabir Ahmad Bhat by terrorists in Pulwama (J&K). This act of cowardice is highly condemnable. Extremists cannot stop the youth of Kashmir from choosing a better future for themselves. This cycle of violence won't last long."

Sources said that Bhat was kidnapped by militants at around 11.30 pm, and his body was found early on Wednesday morning. Police after receiving information went to search Bhat's body and spotted in Litter, Pulwama.

According to an NDTV report since the government announced municipal and panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir last week, Bhat is the first political activist to have been killed by terrorists.

Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Regions, Dr. Jitendra Singh condoled Bhat’s death, he wrote on Twitter, “Deeply shocked by the saddening act of extreme cowardice by terrorists, who barged into the house of Bharatiya Janata Party #BJP worker Shabir Ahmed Bhat in Pulwama, J&K, and shot him dead in the wee hours today,”.

The BJP wing in Kashmir in a statement condemned the violence and said that the party feels pained to hear about Bhat's murder who also was in charge of IT and social media for the party.