Jammu and Kashmir: Worker from Bihar shot dead by suspected militants in Anantnag

A migrant worker was shot dead by suspected militants at Bijbehara town in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Wednesday.

He has been identified as Raju Shah from Bihar. Shah was taken to a hospital after he was critically injured in the attack that took place at around 9 pm, The Indian Express reported. He succumbed to his injuries at the hospital.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police said that the area where the firing took place was cordoned off and a search operation was underway.

Following the attack, National Conference leaders Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah expressed “shock and sadness” at the news of the worker’s death, the party said on social media.

“They vehemently condemn the attack, emphasising that such acts of terror hinder peace in J&K,” it added.

Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti extended her condolences to Shah’s family and condemned the “senseless act of violence”.

Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Altaf Thakur urged the authorities “to track down the killers of this innocent man and punish them sternly”, the Hindustan Times reported.

The attack took place on the eve of filing of nominations for the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Polling in the constituency will take place on May 7.

Earlier this month, a man from Uttarakhand’s Dehradun was injured after being shot by suspected militants in the Shopian district, PTI reported.

In February, two migrant workers from Punjab were shot dead by suspected militants in Srinagar.