Suspected militants killed three people including a 40-year-old woman and her teenage daughter in two separate attacks in south Kashmir on Sunday night.
On Monday, curfew was imposed in several towns in the Valley to check protests after a youngster injured in security forces firing 10 days ago, died.
Four militants barged into the house of Mohammed Hussain Gorsi and shot his wife Shakeela (40) and 19-year-old daughter Zareena late on Sunday evening at Nanmarg area of Damhal Hanjipora in Kulgam district (80 km south of Srinagar), a police spokesperson said.
DIG (south Kashmir) Shafqat Ali Watali said the militants were actually looking for Shakeela’s brother, Siraj Ahmad. “Their target was Siraj, but he managed to escape,” he said. “The mother-daughter duo was caught in the firing.”
A police officer told HT on condition of anonymity that Hizbul Mujahideen militants carried out the killings.
While the police said they were ascertaining why militants were looking for Siraj, locals claimed he was an army source.
A PTI report, however, quoted police as saying that Shakeela and Zareena were killed for visiting an army medical camp.
The local medical centre in their village was shut because of curfew restrictions. So the two had gone to the nearby Rashtriya Rifles medical camp.
{{/usCountry}}The local medical centre in their village was shut because of curfew restrictions. So the two had gone to the nearby Rashtriya Rifles medical camp.
{{/usCountry}}Later, four militants barged into their house looking for Gorsi. Their mission was to punish him for the “sin” committed by his wife — seeking army’s medical help, police said.
Gorsi wasn’t at home and Shakeela and Zareena were killed.
In another attack in Chakoora area in Pulwama district, around 40 km south of Srinagar, suspected militants shot and killed Ghulam Nabi Wani, an employee of the social welfare department. “The people of the area have protested against the killing in the holy month of Ramzan,” the police spokesperson said.
Watali said Wani’s murder seemed to be political. “The man has a National Conference background,” he said.