No let-up in political killings; now Apni Party leader killed by terrorists in Kashmir [Details]

A leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) was shot dead on Thursday evening by terrorists in the Devsar area of South Kashmir's Kulgam district.

This is the second political killing in the Kulgam district in the last 48 hours. On Tuesday evening, terrorists killed BJP's constituency in-charge in the same district.

Reports said that terrorists fired at the senior leader of JKAP, Ghulam Hassan Lone at his home at Devsar this evening from a point-blank range. He was shifted to the hospital where he was declared brought dead by doctors. A police officer confirmed the killing and said that a case has been registered.

"Anguished to hear about the terror attack on political leader Shri Ghulam Hassan Lone at Devsar, Kulgam. I strongly condemn this cowardly attack. Perpetrators of this heinous act will be brought to justice very soon. My prayers & thoughts with the bereaved family in this time of grief," J&K Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha tweeted.

Lone had joined Apni Party recently

Ghulam Hassan Lone was a senior politician of the Devsar constituency. He had joined Apni Party just four months back after resigning from the Peoples' Democratic Party.

Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari on Thursday expressed profound grief over the barbaric killing of Lone.

In a statement issued here, Bukhari termed the news as extremely unfortunate while saying that such attacks are intended to stop the current ongoing peace process in J&K.

"These reprehensible acts of violence are going to yield nothing, but they only add to the sufferings of the people. Nothing can justify the cold-blooded innocent killing of a political worker who was just trying to resolve the pressing issues of the people of his area," he said.

Bukhari said that his Party has always reiterated that violence in any of its manifestations and motivated by any of the extremist ideologies in the world only begets violence and yields nothing positive for human civilization.

"This is a moment of utter grief and gloom for Apni Party wherein we have lost a valuable member to this insane cycle of violence. We pray for eternal peace to the deceased and endurance to the family to bear this huge and irreparable loss," he said.

Killing widely condemned

Condemning the killing of one more political worker, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, "Unfortunately there seems to be no end to the spree of political killings in Kashmir. Unreservedly condemn the killing of Apni party leader Ghulam Hassan Lone. My deepest condolences to the bereaved family."

While condemning the incident, Peoples' Conference leader Sajad Lone said that the recent spate of attacks on mainstream leaders was worrying. "Violence only brings miseries to people. Such killings only create more widows and orphans. These heinous acts must cease," he said.

General secretary of Peoples' Conference, Imran Ansari said, "In strong words, I castigate the killing of Apni Party leader in Kulgam. I repeat killing of mainstream leaders for their affiliation is the worst abuse of human rights. Such senseless and barbaric acts of violence must stop immediately."