Terrorist who killed Bihari Golgappa vendor in Kashmir shot dead [details]

Exactly a week after selective killings in the hearts of Srinagar city, security forces eliminated three terrorists of The Resistance Front (TRF), including the one who was involved in the gruesome killing of Bihari Golgappa vendor on October 5 evening.

Three terrorists were killed in an overnight encounter in the Shopian district where these terrorists were hiding after executing selective killings last week.

"Out of three killed terrorists, one terrorist has been identified as Mukhtar Shah of Ganderbal, who shifted to Shopian after killing one street hawker Virendra Paswan of Bihar," Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Vijay Kumar said.

Reports said that the security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in Tulran, Imam Sahab area of Shopian, in South Kashmir on Monday evening, after getting specific inputs about the presence of a group of terrorists in the area.

Reports said the search operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists fired upon the search party of the forces, who retaliated. In the ensuing gunfight, three terrorists were killed.

Terrorists were asked to surrender

During an encounter in the Tulran area of the Shopian district, the hiding terrorists were provided ample opportunity to surrender. A video has gone viral on social media in which a police officer was seen appealing to the trapped terrorists to lay down their arms and surrender.

For more than three hours, police tried to convince the trapped terrorists to surrender but to no avail. Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition recovered from the site of the encounter.

Bihar Golgappa vendor was killed on October 5

A native of Bihar, Varinder Paswan was killed by terrorists on October 5. Paswan was shot dead in the Hawal area of the city immediately after famous chemist M L Bindroo was killed near his pharmacy.

Terrorists also killed Mohammad Shafi Lone, president of a local taxi stand in the Naidkhai area of Bandipora district that day.

Terrorists targeted Virender Paswan, who earned his livelihood by selling Golgappa in Srinagar. A terror group had also shared the video of the ghastly crime on social media. In the video, a terrorist can be seen walking behind the hawker and murdering him minutes later.

TRF - a shadow outfit of the banned Lasker-e-Taiba, had claimed responsibility for the killings in the Valley.

Financial assistance provided to kin of killed vendor

The Srinagar district administration on Monday said that apart from Rs 6.25 lakh of immediate assistance, the Jammu and Kashmir government had offered to airlifts his mortal remains.

The administration also informed that as many as three air tickets were reserved for the family of deceased Virender Paswan, but his brother decided to perform last rites in Srinagar.

"Apart from the immediate financial assistance of Rs 6.25 lakhs, the J&K govt offered to airlift mortal remains of Virendra Paswan. Three Air tickets were also kept reserved. But his brother decided to perform the last rites in Srinagar. It was purely family's decision," Srinagar district administration said in a tweet.

"Will personally travel to Bhagalpur, Bihar to meet the family of Virender Paswan, a poor street vendor who was mercilessly killed by terrorists at Lal Bazar, Srinagar. His family deserves every last bit of our empathy, moral support, and affection. We mourn his tragic demise,", Mayor Srinagar Municipal Corporation Junaid Mattu tweeted.