BJP leader, wife shot dead in J&K's Anantnag, LG condemns killing

Srinagar, Aug 9 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Kulgam Kisan Morcha President and his wife were shot dead by suspected terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district on Monday, sources said.

According to sources, terrorists barged inside the house of Ghulam Rasool Dar, who was also a sarpanch, and fired indiscriminately, critically injuring him and his wife. They were taken to a hospital where they were declared dead.

Police personnel have reached the spot. The area has been cordoned off and a search operation has been launched to nab the terrorists.

BJP J&K spokesperson Altaf Thakur has strongly condemned the killing of Ghulam Rasool Dar and his wife.

Calling the killings as barbaric and cowardly, Thakur said attacking and killing innocent people will lead to nowhere and the acts reflect the frustration on the part of the terrorists.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has strongly condemned the killings.

"I strongly condemn brutal terrorist attack on the Sarpanch GH Rasool Dar and his wife Jawhara Banoo of Redwani Bala, Kulgam.

"This is an act of cowardice and perpetrators of violence will be brought to justice very soon. My deepest condolences to bereaved family in this time of grief," his office said in a tweet.