Kishtwar attacks LIVE updates: Jammu and Kashmir simmers after militants kill BJP leader, brother

Jammu and Kashmir's BJP State Secretary Anil Parihar and his brother Ajit were shot dead in Kishtwar by militants on Thursday night. the attack has come just before the panchayat polls scheduled to be held in the state. 

The two brothers were shot dead by unidentified men as they were returning home from their shop. 

A curfew has been placed for Kishtwar, Doda, Baderwah and residents of areas like Rambal, Poonch and Kathua are not allowed to meet in groups of more than four people. 

Section 144 of the Criminal Penal Code has been imposed in Chatru and Paddar subdivisions of Jammu. Section 144 bans a group of more than four people to gather in an area. 

While there are no tensions, the security force wants to take preventive measure in case any protest breaks out. 

The two Personal Security Officers who were supposed to be with Parihar at any given time have been detained by the police. The PSOs were not present at the time of the attack on Anil Parihar and his brother Ajit Parihar. 

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley called the killing of the Parihar brothers as an attempt to derail the peace process in the region. 

The killing of Anil Parihar and his brother Ajith Parihar is the first political killing to take place in the volatile state in recent times. 

However, Kishtwar has always been communally sensitive. According to the Indian Express before the killing, the most recent killing was in August 2013. 

Anil was already on the terror list and was provided with personal security officers (PSOs). Even though he was popular, he stirred tensions among the militants during BJP's Doda Bachao Andolan. 

According to The Wire report, there were protests and clashes with the police force as the news of the incident spread on Thursday night. 

Several people gathered outside Parihar's house which prompted the police to impose a curfew on the region.

Anil Parihar was a popular leader in the region with a good support from the Muslims too. 

The killing of the state secretary and his brother was confirmed by BJP State President Ravinder Raina.

According to ANI, he said, "BJP J&K secretary Anil Parihar and his brother were shot by terrorists in Kishtwar around 8 pm today. They were taken to hospital immediately where they succumbed to injury."

Amit Shah expressed his condolences to Parihar's family. 

He said, "Just got the tragic news of killing of Shri Anil Parihar, Secretary @BJP4JnK, and his brother by terrorists in Kishtwar. This is a cowardly act that shames humanity. I grieve the death of my valued colleague and pray that God gives his family strength to bear this untimely loss."

Internet services are suspended in the Chenani Valley as a security measure after the killing of Ajit and Anil Parihar. Kishtwar, Doda, and Ramban are part of this valley.

An Indian Express report states that the for the rest of the Jammu valley, the mobile data services is up to 2G. 

Rajnath Singh, the union home minister shared how shocked and pained he was over the killing of the Parihar brothers in Kishtwar. He tweeted, "Shocked & pained by the killing of J&K State BJP leader Sh. Anil Parihar & his brother. My heart goes out to the bereaved family. Spoke to Advisor to J&K Governor, Sh Vijay Kumar regarding the incident. The police will leave no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators to justice."