Published 21:36 IST, August 9th 2020
J&K: Bandipora BJP dist secy resigns from party after unknown gunmen shoot at BJP neta
After yet another BJP leader was shot at, BJP Bandipora district secretary Mohd Yaqoob Malla resigned from his post and the primary membership from party
After yet another BJP leader was shot at, BJP Bandipora district secretary Mohd Yaqoob Malla resigned from his post and the primary membership from the saffron party on Sunday. Sources report that three other BJP leaders from Budgam resigned from the party, amid targetted attacks at BJP leaders. Earlier in the day, BJP worker Abdul Hamid Najar, a resident of Mohiendpora village, was shot at by unknown gunmen critically injuring him.
BJP worker shot at by unknown gunmen
Sources report that Najar, who is BJP OBC District President and associated with the party for the last 5-6 years, was shot by terrorists during his morning walk this morning. He got injured after the firing and was subsequently shifted to Budgam hospital. This is was third such attack on a BJP party worker in the past one week.
Slew of resignations post attacks
There has been a slew of resignations from BJP after the recent attacks on BJP sarpanches. On August 8, two panchayat members resigned from their posts after a Sopore sarpanch and a Kokernag sarpanch were shot at by gunmen. On Thursday, unidentified gunmen killed Qazigund sarpanch Sajjad Ahmad Khanday and on Tuesday, sarpanch Arif Ahmad Shah was fired upon near his residence in Kulgam - critically injuring him. Post these attacks, three BJP workers of Kulgam resigned from the party. All resignations have been put up on social media or newspapers, to clearly point out their 'disassociation from BJP'.
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. Police said that two Lashkar terrorists - Abid Haqqani from Papchan area of Bandipora and a Pakistani terrorist, were identified as the shooters. . 9 Police officers who were sanctioned for Bari's personal security were not present during the shooting and have since been suspended for dereliction of duty.
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.
Updated 21:36 IST, August 9th 2020