Non-local bank manager, labourer shot dead in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jun 2: Suspected militants on Thursday shot dead a Bank Manager from Rajasthan and a labourer from Bihar while injuring another non-local worker in two separate incidents within less than 12 hours in Kashmir Valley.
An official said that a Bank manager of Elaqahi Dehati Bank was fired upon by militants when he was on duty at Arreh Mohanpora Branch in Kulgam.
The injured identified as Vijay Kumar of Rajasthan was immediately shifted to hospital for treatment.
An official from district hospital Kulgam said that he was brought dead to the hospital. Officials said that the slain Bank manager was married in February this year and was staying with his wife. The killing of Bank manager came a few days after militants shot dead a female government teacher Rajni Bala outside the school in Gopalpora, Kulgam.
Interestingly, the CCTV footage where in a shooter shooting at the Bank manager has gone viral on the social media. A police spokesman said that militants shot dead a Government Bank Employee in a gruesome “terror attack in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.”
Senior police officers along with reinforcement reached at the crime spot. “Officers attending the crime spot learnt that, at about 1100 am, militants had indiscriminately fired upon Manager of Ellaquai Dehati Bank identified as Vijay Kumar son of Om Prakash, resident of Hanumangarh Rajasthan, at Areh Mohanpora in Kulgam District. In this incident, he had received critical gunshot injuries and was immediately evacuated to hospital for the treatment of his injuries however, he succumbed to his injuries,” the spokesman said.
He said that the Police have registered a case in this regard under relevant sections of law. “Investigation is in progress and officers continue to work to establish the circumstances which lead to this terror crime. Area has been cordoned off and search in the area is going on,” the spokesman said.
He said that IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar along with DIG SKR Anantnag and DIG CRPF visited Kulgam district where he held meeting with Police and security forces officers. “The IGP Kashmir reviewed security scenario and instructed field officers to conduct surprise joint area domination in the day and night, to identify militant involved in today’s terror crime and neutralise him at the earliest,” the statement said, adding that “the IGP also directed to identify the militant associates who have been harbouring militants and arrest them on priority basis.”
Meanwhile, two non-locals were fired upon by militants on Thursday late evening in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
Medical Superintendent SMHS hospital Dr. Kanwaljeet Singh confirmed that one among the non-locals succumbed to the injuries. Sources identified the deceased as Dilkhush of Bihar, who was working as a labourer at Brick Kiln.
Earlier a senior Police officer said that the two non-locals were fired upon by militants in Magraypora area of the district.
One had bullet wound in hand and other received firearm injury in neck area. Both were immediately shifted to nearby hospital for treatment, the officer said. The injured has been identified as Goria, a resident of Gurdaspur, Punjab.
“(Militants) fired upon 02 outside labourers working in a Brick Kiln in Chadoora area of Budgam. The duo was shifted to hospital for treatment where one among them succumbed,” police said in a tweet.
Meanwhile, political parties condemned the killing of the manager in ‘unequivocal terms’.
“I unequivocally condemn the brutal killing of Vijay Kumar, a Bank Manager in Kulgam. The killing spree and the pervasive fear among civilians, minorities and other soft targets gives a lie to the claims of the government that everything was Ok in Kashmir. This is not the case. While our brothers and sisters are being targeted under daylight, the government has its head in the sand. This ostrich approach will push the situation to a point of no return ,” National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said, adding, “
An employee becomes a target in a busy office, or a cop gets killed at home, if this is the new face of normalcy, I cannot say anything. We feel sorry that innocent people are being killed one after another. Minorities are being killed. Police persons are being killed. Civilians are getting killed in targeted attacks.”
PDP in a tweet said: “Mayhem! Two more civilians shot at in Budgam. Total breakdown of Law & Order. Will the govt still parrot the narrative of normalcy or has it internalised its own propaganda. Condolences with Dilkhush’s family & praying for speedy recovery to the other. Has peace been ‘established’?”
Earlier party chief and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in a tweet said: “Condemn yet another targeted killing today of Vijay Kumar, a bank manager working in Kulgam. Heartfelt condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace.”
CPI(M) leader Mohamad Yousuf Tarigami termed the killing of the bank manager as barbaric and said that this is yet another addition to the long list of civilian killings.
“No words are enough to condemn such barbaric acts. Such acts only suit the enemies of Kashmir.
The administration must post these employees in safer places and provide them secure accommodations,” he said, adding, “Every citizen irrespective of his, her affiliation must raise their voice against such heinous criminal acts.”
Jammu Kashmir Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari said, “I am shocked to hear about this sad news. Seeing innocent people falling prey to the bullets every now and then is heart-wrenching. The targeted killing spree is becoming a routine here. Everybody must raise their voice against these heinous crimes.”