New Delhi: A government employee belonging to the Kashmiri Pandit community was shot dead by suspected militants in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district on Thursday at his office in Chadoora area of the district, said the officials, reported news agency PTI.
The gunmen entered the Tehsil office in Chadoora town and shot at Rahul Bhat, a clerk, the officials said.
Bhat, a resident of migrant colony at Sheikhpura in Budgam district was rushed to Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital in Srinagar where he succumbed to his injuries.
Following the incident, police have launched a hunt to trackdown the assailants.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed his anguish over the incident and condemned the killing. "I strongly condemn the barbaric killing of Rahul Bhat by terrorists at Budgam. Those behind this despicable terror attack will not go unpunished. J&K Govt stands in solidarity with the bereaved family in this hour of grief," said Sinha.
On Wednesday, two encounters between the security forces and militants were reported in Anantnag and Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir, as reported by PTI. The terrorists and security forces were engaged in a gunbattle in Salinder forests in Bandipora, a police spokesman said. Another encounter started at Marhama in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district.
A senior army official told PTI that at least 168 terrorists are active in the valley at present while 75 of them have been gunned down in encounters this year. The officials added that out of the killed terrorists, 21 of them were foreign mercaneries.
READ HERE: At Least 168 Terrorists Operating in J-K, 75 Killed This Year: Indian Army
In the last 11 months, 12 infiltration attempts were foiled and terrorists were eliminated along the Line of Actual Control. "The intensity of (counter-terrorism) operations will continue to be high till all of the residual 168 plus terrorists surrender or are eliminated," a senior army officer told PTI.
(With inputs from ANI and PTI)