J&K: Ex-Deputy CM Gupta seeks security for politicians after recent attacks on BJP leaders

A day after BJP leader Abdul Hamid Najar was shot dead, former Jammu & Kashmir Deputy CM Kavinder Gupta, on Monday, said that his sacrifice will not go in vain and that the will continue to fight against terrorism without any fear. Gupta remarked that terrorists have found a new strategy to attack BJP leaders in Jammu & Kashmir as the party participated in the panchayat elections enthusiastically. The former Deputy CM also added that the terrorists will be 'killed.'

Speaking to ANI on Monday, Kavinder Gupta said, "Terrorists have found a new strategy to attack BJP leaders in Jammu & Kashmir as BJP participated in the panchayat elections enthusiastically. They want to instil fear among BJP leaders and workers in this way. But we will not give up. Abdul Hamid Najar's death will not go in vain and I expressed my condolences to his family. These terrorists will be killed." 

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'They want to scare us'

"In the last six months, over 200 terrorists have been eliminated. I have talked to the new Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir Manoj Sinha to provide security to the political leaders to carry forward the political talks and activities. I am hoping the action will be taken soon so that terrorists will not repeat such acts. We do not support them and hence they want to scare us by attacking our leaders and workers," he added. 

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Najar, who was BJP OBC District President and associated with the party for the last 5-6 years, was shot by terrorists during his morning walk on Friday. He got injured after the firing and was subsequently shifted to Budgam hospital, where he succumbed to injuries. This was the third such attack on a BJP party worker in the past one week.

Recent attacks on BJP leaders

On July 15, BJP leader Mehraj-U-Din Malla was kidnapped outside his residence in J&K's Sopore district, by an unknown person, but was later rescued by Kashmir police within 12 hours. Previously on July 8, BJP leader Sheikh Wasim Bari, his father Bashir Ahmed and brother Umar Bashir were injured when terrorists opened fire on them outside Bari's shop near police station Bandipora.

READ | BJP Leader Abdul Hamid Najar Shot By Terrorists In Jammu & Kashmir's Budgam

In June, Congress Sarpanch Ajay Pandita was shot at by terrorists in  Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag. According to the police, the terrorists fired at 40-year-old Ajay Pandita, a sarpanch of Lokbowan Larkipora, at around 6 pm, leaving him critically wounded. The police further stated that he was taken to the hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. In 2020 alone, more than 130 terrorists have been gunned down by the security forces in various operations across the newly carved Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. 

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