A Kashmiri Pandit was shot dead by terrorists in Choudry Gund area of Shopian district in south Kashmir on Saturday, officials said.
The victim has been identified as Pooran Krishan Bhat. He was in the lawn of his home when unidentified terrorists fired at him.
He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, the officials cited above informed The New Indian.
Acting swiftly, security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a manhunt to nab the attackers.
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Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Central Kashmir, Sujit Kumar, who is also in charge of the South Kashmir Range said that initial investigation has suggested one terrorist was behind the attack.
Things are still being worked out as of now, Kumar said.
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“If any security lapse is found on part of the security guards and any official in charge of the area, definitely action will be taken,” Kumar said.
He also said that the attack has been claimed by the Kashmir Freedom Fighter (KFF) group, the proxy name of a terrorist outfit.
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The number of targeted terrorist attacks on the Kashmir Pandit community has increased in recent months, sparking fears that it may force the remaining Hindus in the Valley to move out to safer places.
At present, only a small number of Kashmiri Pandits are living in secured colonies in different parts of Kashmir. The majority of them were forced to leave their homes and settle in others parts of the country during the rise of terrorism in the 90s.
In August this year, terrorists gunned down a Kashmiri Pandit named Sunil Kumar in Shopian, the same district where Saturday’s killing took place. His brother Pintu Kumar was critically injured in the attack.
In May, Rahul Bhat, another Pandit, was killed by terrorists in his office in Chadoora area of Budgam district in central Kashmir.