Terrorists kill two labourers from UP in J&K’s Shopian; one arrested

Terrorists killed two labourers from Uttar Pradesh at a village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district early on Tuesday, within three days of a Kashmiri Pandit’s killing in the same district. One person has been arrested.

The terrorists lobbed a grenade at the two labourers at Herman village in Shopian. They were taken to a hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries. The two men have been identified as Manish Kumar and Ram Sagar, both residents of UP’s Kannauj.

Right after the incident, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a massive manhunt, leading to the arrest of a “hybrid terrorist” from the same village. Hybrid terrorists are unlisted, radicalised people who carry out terror strikes and slip back into their routine lives. They often leave no trace and are difficult to track.

Also read: Bhat’s killing in Shopian makes Kashmiri Pandits jittery about their safety in the Valley

Kashmir Zone Police tweeted that a hybrid terrorist of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Imran Bashir Ganie, of Herman, Shopian, had been arrested. Further investigation and raids are going on, the tweet added.

Raids in Pulwama

The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of J&K Police also carried out raids in Pulwama district of South Kashmir on Tuesday morning in connection with civilian killings and terror financing in the wake of latest attacks.

The raids were carried out in Jandwal, Armulla, Niloora, and Bandzoo villages of Pulwama, reportedly in connection with the recovery of 30 kg IED near Tahab crossing in August. A few people have already been arrested in connection with this case, the police said.

Protests against Pandit killing

On Saturday, militants shot dead Puran Krishan Bhat, a Kashmiri Pandit, in Shopian district. Deputy Inspector General of Police, Sujit Kumar, said the Kashmir Freedom Fighter (KFF) group (a militant outfit) had claimed responsibility for the attack.

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Bhat was attacked near his residence in the South Kashmir district. He was rushed to a hospital where doctors declared him dead.

The targeted killing sparked massive outrage, with hundreds of displaced Kashmiri Pandit employees, seeking relocation from the Valley, blocking the Jammu-Akhnoor road on Saturday. The incident also triggered protests by political parties and social groups against the BJP-led government for its “failure to ensure a safe and secure atmosphere in the Valley.”

The recent murders bring back memories from last October when terrorists killed seven persons in five days.

(With agency inputs)