Ghulam Mohammed Mir, the Bharatiya Janata Party vice president from the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir, was shot dead inside his house in Nowgam Verinag on Saturday (May 4) night by militants.
The government had withdrawn 55-year-old Mir's security recently, which made it easier for the militants to kill him. An alarm was raised after Mir's shooting. He was rushed to the hospital in a critical condition and succumbed to his injuries on his way.
The police had said that the assailants had gone to Mir's house and asked for his keys. They then shot him multiple times while driving the car away.
Speaking of the incident, BJP state spokesman Altaf Thakur admonished the state government for withdrawing security when Mir was being constantly threatened by militants. He said, "He was under constant threat from militants, yet his security was taken back. He received several bullets and died on way to the hospital."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his anger over Mir's death saying, "Strongly condemn the killing of @BJP4JnK leader Shri Ghulam Mohammed Mir. His contribution towards strengthening the party in J&K will always be remembered. There is no place for such violence in our country. Condolences to his family and well-wishers."
Even though Mir, was from BJP, his political affiliations did not stop the Opposition parties in Kashmir to condole his death.
PDP's Mehbooba Mufti tweeted shortly after the news of his death broke. She wrote, "I strongly condemn the killing of BJP leader Gul Muhammad Mir in Verinag, South Kashmir. My condolences to the bereaved family and prayers for the departed soul."
Omar Abdullah also passed his condolences regarding Mir's untimely passing. He tweeted, "Ghulam Mohd Mir, office bearer of the BJP in South Kashmir has been shot & killed in Nowgam, Verinag. I condemn this dastardly act of violence & pray for the soul of the departed. May his soul rest in peace."
The incident took place just one day before the Pulwama and Shopian district goes for polls for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabah elections. Polling in Anantnag is conducted in three phases due to security reasons.
