Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Apr 24: Militants today shot dead the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) district president for Pulwama, Advocate Abdul Gani Dar, in the South Kashmir district of Pulwama this afternoon ahead of by-poll in Anantnag which are slated to be on May 25.
Gani was shot at by the militants in Pinglena area of Pulwama district this afternoon when he was on way to Srinagar. Dar was referred to SMHS Hospital Srinagar but succumbed to injuries on way to hospital.
The PDP leader, lawyer by profession, and resident of Ruhmoo village visited the District Court Pulwama this morning and sources said that militants were following him in an Alto-800 Car.
They said that when Dar came out of the Court and was on way to Srinagar, militants followed his car and at Muran Chowk, they overtook the vehicle in which he was travelling. He was stopped at Pinglana on main road.
The two militants went inside the PDP leader’s car and shot at him three times from point blank range with an AK assault rifle. Two bullets hit him in the chest and one in the shoulder leaving him in a pool of blood.
The militants fled in the same car after carrying out the attack as one of their associate, driver, was waiting them in the car. The driver of the PDP leader rushed him to Pulwama hospital but he was shifted to Srinagar for treatment to Srinagar but succumbed to injuries on way to hospital.
Senior Police and security force officers reached the spots and check points were established and manhunt was launched against the killers of Dar. However, no one was arrested so far.
No militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the killing so far. His house was attacked by militants four years ago in Ruhmoo village and during which his security guards fired killing one militant.
In 2015, Dar left Congress and joined PDP and he was made District president by the party. He was recently threatened by militants and was asked to resign publicly. He, however, refused to accept the militant diktats. Some of the PDP workers, however, publicly announced their disassociation from the party at gun point.
Dar was well protected and had three PSOs and a driver but he was most of the times travelling without security guards. No PSO was accompanying him at the time of the attack and he had only driver along with him.
This is third political killing in South Kashmir in 10 days. On April 17, militants shot dead a former public prosecutor affiliated with opposition National Conference in Shopian district. Militants shot dead a PDP worker and critically injured another in Qasbayar village of South Kashmir district of Pulwama on April 15.
Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti strongly condemned the killing of Dar. In her condolence message, the Chief Minister said Dar was a selfless worker who lived and died for the people of his area. “Such innocent killings remind us of the tragic reality of the vicious cycle of violence which is pushing our society to darkness”, she said.
Conveying her sympathies with the family of Dar, the Chief Minister directed Police to identify the killers and unearth motives behind his killing.
In the meantime, militants this evening fired at an Army patrol in village Zavoora area of Shopian, in South Kashmir. However, there was no damage to troops who returned the fire and one Shabir Ahmad Teli was injured in cross fire. Troops immediately cordoned off the area and searches are going on.
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