Police Seizes Vehicle Used by Lashkars to Attack BJP Workers in J&K

The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants carried out attack that left three BJP activists dead in South Kashmir district of Kugam late on Thursday evening.

Those killed include the BJP Yuva Morcha General Secretary for Kulgam, Fida Hussain Itoo, Umar Hajam both residents of YK Pora and Haroon Rashid Beigh of Sopat. While confirming the incident, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said that the vehicle that was used by the militants to carry out the attack had been seized from Telwani village in Achabal in Anantnag Friday morning. IG Kumar said, “Preliminary investigations indicate that LeT militants - including Nissar Ahmad Khanday, Abass Sheikh and a foreigner - were possible involved in the attack”. He said that the efforts were being made to neutralize the militants behind the attack.

Giving details about the attack, he said militants onboard a car came close to a vehicle in which the three BJP workers were sitting and fired at them indiscriminately at Y K Pora in Kulgam late last night. All the three were injured. Soon after the incident the victims were rushed to the nearest hospital but they were declared brought dead. He said, “As many as 1619 vulnerable people were identified before August 5 and they were kept in different hotels in the valley under security. Fida Hussain was one of them. He was kept in a hotel in Pahalgam. But, after staying there for three weeks, he left, giving personal undertaking”.

Replying to a question asked by the media, IGP Kumar said that it was Pakistan sponsored militancy and attack was carried at the behest of the handlers from across the border. He said, “As of now altogether 157 BJP workers have been given Personal Security Officers (PSOs) and 30 others have been given guards. Those facing vulnerable situation or severe threat perception would be provided with required security arrangements. The PSOs are also being taught to not allow such people move during night”.