BJP Sarpanch Sajjad Ahmed Khandey Shot Dead By Unidentified Terrorists in South Kashmir's Kulgam

Khandey was rushed to a nearby hospital with bullet wounds where he succumbed to his injuries. No terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

(Representational Image, Source: PTI)

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sarpanch was shot dead on Thursday (August 6) by unidentified terrorists outside his residence at Vessu in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. The sarpanch has been identified as Sajjad Ahmed Khandey. Khandey was rushed to a nearby hospital with bullet wounds where he succumbed to his injuries. No terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far. Inspector General of Police, Vijay Kumar while confirming the attack said that Sajad Ahmed was shot dead while he was visiting his home in Vesu this morning, and died on the way to hospital. He was living in a protected migrant colony at Vesu along with other Panchs and Sarpanchs who are facing militant threats. Family members said that militants shot dead Sarpanch Sajad khanday outside his residence in Vessu area of Kulgam district and immediately rushed to GMC Anantnag for treatment. However, a doctor declared him "brought dead" at the hospital.

#UPDATE Sarpanch Sajad Ahmad Khanday, who was fired upon by terrorists, succumbs to his injuries. #JammuAndKashmir https://t.co/HAHyAR3Zf2

— ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2020

This is the second  incident of a Sarpanch being shot at by terrorists in the Kashmir Valley over the past 48 hours as militants on August 4 had fired at Arif Ahmad, the sarpanch in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district and left him critically injured. The sarpanch belonged to Akhran village in Qazigund area of the district. Terrorists have stepped up militant activities in Kashmir Valley by orchestrating and executing a series of terror attacks on political workers and panchayat members in Kashmir. Last month Waaeem Bari, BJP leader and an ex-district president of the party for north Kashmir's Bandipore district was killed by terrorists. Before this, on June 8, another Sarpanch Anil Panidta was shot dead in Anantnag resulting in security review for the panch's and Sarpanch's. On July 19, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had announced a life insurance cover of Rs 25 lakh each to all elected members of panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) and urban local bodies (ULBs) of the union territory in case of death due to a terror-related incident. This is a developing story and more details are awaited