Srinagar: Officials said that on the night of July 8, a BJP leader, his brother and father were shot dead by terrorists in the heart of Bandipore town of North Kashmir. Consequently, the Jammu and Kashmir authorities arrested seven policemen for their alleged negligence in protecting him.They further added that the incident took place at the shop-cum-residence of BJP leader Wasim Bari, who was the district president of the party. Motorcycle-borne terrorists attacked the three victims from a close range with a silencer-fitted revolver.The place of incident is barely 10 metres away from the main police station, they said.J&K Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh said that Bari and his family members were in the shop when the terrorists fired at them. The trio was shifted to the district hospital in critical conditions; eventually, they succumbed to their injuries.Besides Bari, his brother Umar and father Bashir Ahmad were killed in the firing, the police said.Seven policemen have been arrested for alleged negligence in protecting Bari, the police said.Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed his condolences over the incident. “I condemn the attack. My condolences to their families in this time of grief. Sadly the violent targeting of mainstream political workers continues unabated,” he tweeted.Former Bandipore MLA Usman Majid condemned the incident and demanded a thorough probe into the alleged deteriorating law and order situation in the Kashmir valley.Majid, who is a founder leader of JK Apni Party expressed his concern and said, “How can terrorists comes so close and hit their target which is barely 10 metres away from the police station in the town.”He added that he would take up the matter with Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir after consulting with his party leadership.Former MLC and senior BJP leader of the union territory Surinder Ambardar said, “It is very unfortunate that Pakistan’s frustration is visible by destabilising the democratic institutions whereas the BJP has made its visible imprints in the Kashmir valley.”The Congress and Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also condemned the incident.“Distraught at the recurring spate of killing of political workers in Kashmir. While we express our unconditional sympathies with the family, the administration has squarely failed in ensuring adequate security arrangements amid deteriorating security conditions,” the PDP tweeted.
