Killing of the 25 years old BJP activist Gowhar Ahmad Bhat by terrorist who slit his throat in the Shopian district of South Kashmir yesterday evening has generated on social media strong criticism of cruelty of the ultras.

Terrorists have during the past few days targeted ministers, legislators and leaders of the ruling PDP, but Bhat is the first BJP leader who was murdered with cruelty after abducting him from his home at 6 pm and his throat slit body was recovered from a nearby village few hours later.

Terrorists had recently killed a school teacher by slitting his throat in the neighbouring Pulwama district as they suspected him to be an informer of the security forces.

South Kashmir has again become unsafe place for leaders of the PDP—BJP alliance as they are being selected for terror attacks. The PWD minister and chief spokesman of the J&K government, Nayeem Akhtar’s motorcade was recently attacked with a grenade resulting in death of three innocent pedestrians and injury to about 30 persons.

The security vehicle of a senior MLA of PDP was attacked near Anantnag claiming life of the driver. Grenades were lobbed at the house of another legislator of the PDP in South Kashmir.

However, killing of Bhat has evoked criticism from all quarters. Even some Kashmiri Muslims posted comments criticizing terrorists for killing him.

Kaisar Qureshi tweeted “Torture and then slitting throat is the ISIS way of killing innocents. They have adopted this merciless way to kill the #Insaniyat #Kashmir”. “You can kill us, but never suppress our voice, no matter what! I stand with his bereaved family”. “Taking lives of innocent people is not Jihad. I condemn such cowardly acts”.

Former Chief Minister and NC working president Omar Abdullah tweeted: “How tragic. A young life snuffed out in such a heartless way just adds to the sense of shock. Allah jannat naseeb karey.’’

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in her tweet said, “Condemn killing of Gowhar, a young political activist of Shopian. My condolences with the family. This unending violence has to stop”.

In a comment on Mehbooba’s tweet, Asfaq Ahmed Abidi said “Terrorists are killing patriot Indians everyday. U are failed in valley. Give it to my Army”.

Bhat had joined the BJP three years ago and recently was active in organizing youth convention of the party in Srinagar as a result of which he became a thorn in the neck of various terrorist outfits.

Reacting to the incident, the state BJP chief Sat Sharma said frustrated and devastated, terrorists and their sympathizers have lost all the sense of humanity.