SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- Unidentified gunmen believed to be militants killed an activist affiliated with pro-India ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said Wednesday.
The 55-year-old Ghulam Rasool Ganai was shot dead near his house in village Nambal-Mattan of Anantnag district, about 60 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
"Eyewitnesses told us Ganai was fired upon by three gunmen from a point-blank range late last evening," a police official told Xinhua. "He was hit in leg and chest. Though his relatives removed him to nearby health facility doctors there declared him bought dead."
Ganai according to local was associated with the PDP as its grass-root level political worker. He was a former rural body member (locally called Panch).
On Monday night an Indian policeman was killed under similar circumstances in adjacent Pulwama district.
"The gunmen fired upon head constable Ashiq Hussain at Pulwama's Padgampora village, where he had gone to attend a wedding. He succumbed to the bullet wounds in the hospital," a police official said.
So far no militant outfit has claimed responsibility of the killings.
Militants in the region usually target families and individuals for their possible links with Indian police and defense agencies. Even people having associations with pro-India political parties are targeted at times.
Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their Independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.
