The Hindu : PDP MLA shot dead

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 21, 2002

Front Page

Front Page

PDP MLA shot dead

By Shujaat Bukhari

Wailing relatives of the PDP MLA, Abdul Aziz Mir, who was shot dead by militants on Friday. — Photo: Nissar Ahmad

JAMMU DEC. 20. The one-and-a-half month-old coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir suffered a setback today when militants shot dead the People's Democratic Party Member of the Legislative Assembly, Abdul Aziz Mir, in Pampore town of south Kashmir.

Police sources said that unknown militants fired upon the 50-year-old Mir around 2.45 p.m. when he was coming out of a mosque in his native village of Konibal . "The militants used a silencer-fitted pistol and shot him from behind and the bullet pierced his heart," said a senior police officer. The Mir was rushed to the Sri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital in Srinagar, where the doctors declared him brought dead. The Mir's two personal security officers opened retaliatory fire but the militants escaped. He leaves four daughters and three sons besides the wife. Save Kashmir Movement, a lesser-known militant outfit, has claimed responsibility for the killing. Its spokesman, Sheikh Tajamul, rang up a local news agency, CNS, in Srinagar and said: "All those who safeguard Indian interests in Kashmir shall have to meet the same fate."

Elected to the Assembly for the first time, the Mir was a prominent social worker in the area and had been associated with the National Conference for a long time. However, when the party denied him the ticket in the last Assembly elections, he joined the PDP and successfully contested.

The Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who left for New Delhi today expressed shock and saidit was part of militant attempts to derail the peace process. ``It has become clear how challenging the situation is turning in the State,'' he told The Hindu, reiterating his Government's resolve to restore peace and normality in the State. The CPI(M) MLA and leader of the People's Democratic Forum, Mohammad Yusuf Tarigami, has also condemned the killing of the Mir.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page

Stories in this Section

SC quashes cancellation of petrol pump allotments

PDP MLA shot dead

Three girls killed

Polaris executives released

VHP rakes up Ram temple issue again

Dara Singh's mother honoured

Cong. resents `clean chit' to Sinha

18 policemen killed

Police firing in U.P. town

Lecturer shot dead in Delhi

Teresa to be beatified

Togadia speech banned