Three persons were killed by terrorists in three separate incidents in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, police said. The Resistance Force (TRF), an outfit affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for two of the attacks, they added.
The deceased included Makhan Lal Bindroo, a Kashmiri Pandit and the owner of one of the most popular medical stores in Srinagar.
Police said Bindoo was shot at by the terrorists around 7 pm while he was attending customers at his shop in Srinagar’s Iqbal Park area. The 68-year-old suffered multiple injuries and was declared brought dead, doctors at SMHS hospital said.
“Terrorists fired upon owner of Bindroo Medicate namely Shri Makhan Lal Bindroo near Iqbal Park Srinagar. He was shifted to hospital where he succumbed to injuries. Area cordoned off and search to nab the terrorists is going on,” a police spokesperson said.
Bindroo was among the few Kashmiri Pandits who did not migrate out at the onset of militancy in 1990.
Within an hour, a street vendor was shot dead by terrorists near Madina Chowk in Lalbazar, police said. The vendor was identified as Virender Paswan, a resident of Bihar’s Bhagalpur.
{{/usCountry}}Within an hour, a street vendor was shot dead by terrorists near Madina Chowk in Lalbazar, police said. The vendor was identified as Virender Paswan, a resident of Bihar’s Bhagalpur.
{{/usCountry}}The TRF, police said, claimed responsibility for the attacks on Bindoo and Paswan.
Later, a civilian was shot at by terrorists at Naidkhai in Bandipora district, police said. Mohammad Shafi Lone, the head of a local taxi stand, was rushed to a nearby hospital where he succumbed to injuries.
Bindroo’s killing was widely condemned by political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Altaf Thakur seeking punishment for the accused.
“Those behind the killing of Bindroo have no religion as the killing of unarmed persons is never justified in any religion. I express my solidarity with the family members of Bindroo and urge police to expose and punish his killers, sooner than better,” Thakur said.
Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti tweeted: “Condemn the killing of Shri M L Bindroo who chose to stay back in Kashmir even during peak insurgency. Such acts of violence have no place in our society. May his family find the strength to deal with this loss.”
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah tweeted: “What terrible news! He was a very kind man. I’ve been told he never left during the height of militancy and remained with his shop open. I condemn this killing in the strongest possible terms & convey my heartfelt condolences to his family. God bless his soul.”
People’s Conference chief Sajjad Lone also condemned the attack. “The fatal attack against the owner of Bindroo Medicates is outrageous and unacceptable. I knew the gentleman personally. He never left the valley. And terrorists made him pay for that. May he live in peace,” he posted on Twitter.
CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami said he had no words to condemn such a heinous and shameful act. “His unfortunate death has sent shockwaves. No words to condemn such a heinous andc shameful act. This is indeed an irreparable loss for the whole society,” he said.