Anil Parihar, secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Jammu and Kashmir state unit, and his brother Ajit Parihar were on Thursday evening shot dead by terrorists in Kishtwar area of Jammu division.

The incident took place in Tapal Gali Mohalla of Kishtwar town.

Curfew was imposed in Kishtwar and Bhaderwah later in view of the mounting tension in the area after the incident. Protests erupted after the news spread and a large number of people  came out on streets pelting the police with stones.

An irate mob attacked the police station in Kishtwar. Senior Superintendent of Police Rajinder Gupta and the SHO of Kishtwar were manhandled by the angry mob.

The police said the Parihar brothers were shot dead by unidentified terrorists. The two were rushed to hospital in a critical condition but could not be saved. Doctors declared both dead on arrival.

District authorities have called out the Army to control the situation. The Army, the CRPF and the police have launched a manhunt for the terrorists.

Anil and Ajit Parihar ran a very popular book shop in Kishtwar.

The killings come ahead of the panchayat elections in the state starting from November 17.

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the killings.

Very sad news. My condolences to Anil & Ajit Parihar’s family & colleagues. May their souls rest in peace. https://t.co/r6PkFnnvKv

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) November 1, 2018

BJP leader Jitendra Singh also took to Twitter and posted: “Deeply shocked by the killing of a dear Party colleague and BJP J&K State Secretary Anil Parihar and his brother. No words to express the grief. Rushing to Kishtwar at the earliest… that is the only thought on mind.”

Deeply shocked by the killing of a dear Party colleague and BJP J&K State Secretary Anil Parihar and his brother. No words to express the grief. Rushing to Kishtwar at the earliest… that is the only thought on mind. pic.twitter.com/NtxMKRHb7D

— Dr Jitendra Singh (@DrJitendraSingh) November 1, 2018

Anil had contested the assembly elections in 2008 on Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party ticket from Kishtwar constituency.

Ajit Parihar was an employee of the state Financial Corporation.