Srinagar no more 'heaven': Family reacts as terrorist attack kill 2 in firing

The latest attack has sparked countrywide condemnation, while many raised concerns over the targeted killing.

At least two people lost their lives on Thursday after terrorists opened fire in a school in the Eidgah area of Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. The shooting killed the school's principal and a teacher, taking the toll from targeted attacks on civilians in Kashmir to five since Tuesday.

Security forces outside the government school in Srinagar where two teachers were shot dead in a targeted attack (HT Poto/by Waseem Andrabi)

The latest attack has sparked countrywide condemnation, while many raised concerns over the targeted killing. A relative of the school teacher identified as Deepak Chand, also expressed his anguish and said that the valley, renowned as heaven on earth, has become a "hell." "We are still receiving threat calls. Kashmir is not heaven, it's hell. We're been targeted for the last 30 years," news agency ANI quoted the relative as saying.

Meanwhile, the government has assured of a befitting reply to the perpetrators. "I strongly condemn the barbaric killing of two of our teachers, Supinder Kour and Deepak Chand by terrorists. A befitting reply will be given to the perpetrators of the heinous terror attacks on innocent people," tweeted Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha after the attack.

Jammu and Kashmir DGP Dilbag Singh reacted to the killing and said that the civilians are being targeted to create communal tension in the Union Territory (UT). "These recent incidents of targeting civilians are to create an atmosphere of fear and communal disharmony here. This is a conspiracy to target the local ethos and values to defame local Kashmiri Muslims," Singh said.

Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu also condemned the civilian killings and appealed to all communities to stand together on this matter. "The elements backed by Pakistan are behind this. We should all come out on the streets and take a stand as a society that we will not allow this," the mayor said, as per the ANI report.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti also expressed her condolences and said, it is "disturbing to see the deteriorating situation in Kashmir where a minuscule minority is the latest target."

This is the third such attack over the last four days. Earlier on Wednesday, a street hawker was shot dead by terrorists in Srinagar. The incident took place near Madina Chowk, Lalbazar in Srinagar where terrorists fired upon the victim, identified as Virender Paswan.

On Tuesday, a businessman was killed by terrorists near Iqbal Park in Srinagar. The terrorists fired upon the owner of Bindroo Medicate namely, Makhan Lal Bindroo. Following this, Bindroo was shifted to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.