A former sarpanch affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fell victim to a deadly terrorist attack, while a tourist couple from Jaipur sustained serious injuries in two consecutive assaults in south Kashmir. The incidents occurred late Saturday night, marking a grim turn of events in the Anantnag and Shopian districts, both constituents of the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat currently embroiled in fervent election campaigning ahead of the polls scheduled for May 25.
The injured tourists, Tabrez and his wife Farha were targeted by assailants in the Yannar area near Pahalgam within the Anantnag district. Their condition, reported as serious but stable, underscores the grave consequences of the attacks on innocent civilians.
In a subsequent assault just thirty minutes later, ex-sarpanch Aijaz Sheikh faced fatal injuries in Shopian’s Heerpora, succumbing to his wounds shortly after. The attack on Aijaz comes in the wake of his public declaration, where he portrayed himself as a former stone-pelter and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his transformation.
Expressing condemnation and assurance of justice, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha affirmed that security forces have been granted full authority to apprehend the perpetrators. He pledged comprehensive support for the injured couple and vowed relentless pursuit of those aiding and abetting terrorism in the region.
The BJP strongly denounced the assault, mourning the loss of Aijaz Ahmad Sheikh and emphasizing solidarity with his bereaved family. Meanwhile, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah called for an independent inquiry into the recent spate of killings, citing their detrimental impact on Kashmir’s tourism sector.
Mehbooba Mufti, former chief minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Anantnag seat, condemned the attacks, highlighting concerns over the timing amidst claims of normalcy in the region.
