Leader Of Ruling PDP Abdul Gani Shot Dead In Jammu And Kashmir's Pulwama

Srinagar: A leader of Jammu and Kashmir's ruling PDP was killed by suspected terrorists when he was travelling in his car in Srinagar on Monday.

Abdul Gani Dar, the Pulwama unit president of the PDP or People's Democratic Party, was shot at when he was in the Pinglana area. He was taken to a hospital in Srinagar, 31km away.

Mr Dar, a lawyer, was shot thrice in his chest at close range.

He was travelling with two police cars. This is the third attack on a politician in the past few weeks.

This morning, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi to discuss the security situation in the state. Ms Mufti called for dialogue with separatists but added that talks cannot take place amid stone-throwing and firing.

There have been massive street protests in Kashmir with people throwing stones at the security forces. The protests were exacerbated by several videos that have emerged in the past few weeks. One video shows a group of jawans walking calmly as they are chased, taunted and harassed by a mob in Srinigar when the region held polls. Another video shows a young man tied to an army jeep as "human shield".

Even today, there were clashes between protesters and security forces at SP College in Srinagar, police said.

Colleges reopened in Kashmir today after five days as there were protests against the alleged high-handedness of security forces with students in Pulwama.