BJP leader shot dead in Anantnag ahead of elections on May 6

Militants on Saturday (May 4) night, shot dead Gull Mohammad Mir, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Anantnag district (Jammu and Kashmir) vice-president, in his house.

The police said three militants entered his house in Nowgam Verinag area and took him in car around 10pm, and shot him on the way. Locals took Mir to a district hospital 22 km away, but he succumbed to injuries. The state police cordoned the area soon after.

Mir unsuccessfully contested the 2008 and 2014 Assembly elections from Dooru in Anantnag. Speaking to The Federal, the BJP’s Anantnag district president Rafiq Wani said, “Mir was fondly called Atal because he had great respect and value former Prime Minister Atal Bihari. Unfortunately, despite BJP workers facing severe threat from militant groups, security was withdrawn a few days ago.”

One of Mir’s sons worked in the Srinagar BJP office.

People’s Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah condemned the violent act.

“I strongly condemn the killing of BJP leader Gul Muhammad Mir in Verinag, South Kashmir. My condolences to the bereaved family and prayers for the departed soul,” PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti tweeted.

While the PDP-BJP alliance broke last year, the Mufti government fell and BJP came under attack for its stand on Article 370 which gives special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

In the past too, militants targeted BJP workers. Gowhar Hussain Bhat, the 30-year-old BJP president of Shopian district and another Altaf Thankur were killed in separate incidents in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

The police are investigating the killing of Mir, but no details about the suspected militants have emerged yet.

Pulwama and Shopian — part of Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency — go to polls on May 6.