Security forces in Sopore (File Photo)
Unidentified gunmen shot dead a man this morning in Sopore in north Kashmir, taking the number of civilian killings by suspected terrorists to six in the last three weeks. Sources say the victim was a former militant.
"Unidentified gunmen today fired at Aijay Ahmad Reshi from close range in Mundji area of Sopore town. He later died of critical bullet injuries," a senior police officer told IANS.
Markets in Sopore were shut down after the news of the killing spread.
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who had linked these civilian killings with Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's 'terrorist-for-terrorist' remark, today tweeted: "Another shooting in Sopore! It's going from bad to worse there & yet apologists for this govt & it's CM will tell you things are great in JK (sic)."
Yesterday, suspected terrorists shot dead a poultry dealer, near his shop at Badamibagh in Sopore.
Suspected terrorists shot dead a shopkeeper on Friday night while a government employee, who was an activist of Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, was killed on Tuesday.
Security agencies say that the acts are being carried out by a splinter group of Hizbul Mujahideen.