The unending cycle of killing of political activists in Jammu and Kashmir has created fear among the cross-section of grassroots level politicians following shooting down of a heavily protected BJP leader Wasim Bari, his father and brother in the Bandipora town of Kashmir. Wasim’s sister was injured in the attack.

The killing has coincided with the Wednesday’s shutdown in Kashmir on the fourth death anniversary of a top terrorist of Hizbul Mujahideen, Burhan Wani. The two shops in which the three were shot are outside their house and just near the police station.

J&K Police on Thursday said that the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) was behind the killing and the Kashmir Range IGP Vijay Kumar identified a Pakistani terrorist and Abid Haqqani of LeT for killing the three persons.

BJP general secretary, Ram Madhav, who looks after the party affairs in J&K, tweeted; “It’s never easy to be an Indian, a patriot and a BJP man in some parts of the Kashmir Valley. Many had to pay with their lives for daring to be one. Wasim Bari, his brother Umer and their father were the latest in this saga of the martyrdom of patriots…”

Both terrorists who carried out the attack were walking on foot and fired at a short-range with a pistol. The IGP said that at the time of the killing of BJP leader and his family members none of the personal security officers attached with them were there. Taking strict action against officials for dereliction of their duty, the police has suspended all 10 of them with immediate effect and they have been taken into custody. A case in this regard has been registered and the investigation is underway.

Lt. Governor GC Murmu has said that the barbaric act of killing innocent people is against the humanity and the perpetrators of this cowardly act shall be brought to justice.

This is the second such incident within a month in Kashmir where terrorists have targeted politicians. Earlier on 8 June, terrorists had shot dead Congress Sarpanch from Anantnag district of South Kashmir Ajay Pandita Bharti. The two terrorists involved in his killing were later eliminated in an encounter.
Killing of Wasimm Bari and his father Bashir Ahmad and brother Umer Bashir is the third major attack at BJP activists within few months. RSS leader, Chandrakant Sharma, was killed in a terrorist attack in the Kishtwar town of Jammu division and this was preceded with the killing of BJP secretary Anil Parihar and his brother Ajit Parihar. The security personnel of the two brothers were also missing at the time of the attack.

National Conference activists Mohammad Ismail Wani, Mushtaq Ahmad Wani and Nazir Bhat were killed in terrorist attacks some time ago.