Terror Attacks in J&K Leave Ex-Sarpanch Dead and Tourist Couple

In a series of terrorist attacks on Saturday night, a former sarpanch was killed and a tourist couple was injured in Jammu and Kashmir, just ahead of the polling for the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency scheduled for May 20.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police reported that terrorists shot and injured a woman named Farha and her husband Tabres, both residents of Jaipur, in Yannar, Anantnag. The couple was quickly transported to a hospital for treatment. The area has been cordoned off, and further details are awaited.

Shortly after this incident, ex-sarpanch Aijaz Sheikh, affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was shot dead in Shopian's Hirpora around 10:30 pm. Officials confirmed his association with the BJP and the fatal attack.

In response, the BJP lauded Sheikh as a “brave soldier” of the party in Jammu and Kashmir and expressed solidarity with his family.

These attacks occurred amid ongoing campaigning for the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat, which is set to vote on May 25 in the sixth phase of the national elections.

Mufti, Farooq and Omar Abdullah condemn terror attacks

Former chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Farooq and Omar Abdullah condemned the terrorist acts. Mufti, leader of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and a candidate from Anantnag, highlighted concerns about the timing of the attacks, particularly in light of the delayed south election. National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah is also contesting from Baramulla.

“The timing, given that the south election was delayed without any reason, is a cause of concern. Especially keeping in mind normalcy claims touted by the Government of India,” she posted on X.

In the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, five Lok Sabha seats are being contested. The two seats in the Jammu region voted in the first two phases (Udhampur on April 19 and Jammu on April 26). In the Kashmir Valley, Srinagar voted in the fourth round on May 13, while Baramulla and Anantnag-Rajouri will vote in the fifth and sixth phases, respectively.