J&K: Non-local worker shot dead in Srinagar, another "grievously" injured

J&K: Non-local worker shot dead in Srinagar, another "grievously" injured. File pic/PTI

Militants on Wednesday evening attacked and killed a non-local worker and injured another in Downtown area of Jammu and Kashmir's capital city, Srinagar.

Newswire PTI reported that the militants opened fire on a Sikh worker in Habba Kadal area of Srinagar city. The report said that another person was injured in the attack and he is undergoing treatment at a local hospital.

The slain worker has been identified as Amritpal Singh, a resident of Amritsar.

In a post on X, Kashmir Zone Police said: "#Terrorists fired upon a non-local identified as Amritpal Singh resident of Amritsar at Shaheed Gunj #Srinagar, who #succumbed to the injuries. One more person is grievously injured and evacuated for medical attention. Area has been #cordoned off. Further details shall follow."

This is first attack by militants on a non-local in Kashmir this year. Last year, militants carried out several attacks on non-local workers in valley including in Anantnag and Shopian districts.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, the union government said that 73 terrorists, 30 security personnel and 14 civilians were killed in Jammu and Kashmir in 2023, while 46 terrorist-initiated incidents and 48 encounters were also reported last year, a local news agency reported.

In a reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, minister of state from home, Nityanad Rai said that the government has a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism and the security situation has improved significantly in Jammu and Kashmir

He also said that no terrorist incident was reported in Ladakh from 2019 to 2023.

Giving details, the minister said 153 terrorists initiated incidents were reported in 2019, 126 in 2020, 129 in 2021 and 251 in 2022.

He said that 102 encounters and counter terrorism operations were reported in 2019, 118 in 2020, 100 in 2021, and 117 in 2022, while 44 civilians were killed in terrorist initiated incidents and in encounters in 2019, 38 in 2020, 41 in 2021 and 31 9n 2022.

The minister added that 80 security personnel were killed in 2019, 63 in 2020, 42 in 2021 and 32 in 2022, while 157 terrorists were killed in 2019, 221 in 2020, 180 in 2021 and 187 in 2022. (With inputs from agencies)