Two non-locals and two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants, including one ultra behind the killing of policemen, were killed in two separate incidents of militancy in south Kashmir’s Pulwama on Saturday.

An official said gunmen, suspected to be militants, opened fire at a roadside vendor at Eidgah area in the old city in Srinagar. The victim suffered bullet injuries in his head. “He was declared brought dead in a nearby hospital,” the official stated.

The victim has been identified as Arvind Kumar from Bihar.

In another attack, a non-local carpenter from Uttar Pradesh was shot dead in Pulwama’s Litter area. A local official identified the victim as Sajeer Ahmad.

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Ninth civilian killing

This is the ninth civilian killing by militants in the Valley this month. Earlier, seven civilians, including a non-local Hindu vendor, a local Hindu teacher, a Sikh principal and a Kashmiri Pandit chemist, were killed by ultras.

J&K’s regional parties have condemned the killing. “This is yet another case of a civilian being targeted like this. All Arvind Kumar did was come to Srinagar in search of earning andpportunities & it’s reprehensible that he was murdered,” National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah said.

Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone said, “This is pure terror. Yet again a ‘golgappa’ vendor shot and killed. What a shame. How cowardly can it get.”

Top LeT ‘commander’ killed

“A top LeT ‘commander’, Umer Mushtaq Khanday, was killed along with an associate in the gunfight in Pampore (in Pulwama). The bodies were retrieved from the debris after eight hours of searches,” Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar said.

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Khanday, a resident of Pampor’s Tulagh, was involved in the killing of two police personnel at Baghat Srinagar on February 19 last, he disclosed.

A total of 13 militants have been killed in stepped up operations against militants in Kashmir. These operations were launched immediately after militants killed seven civilians in the Valley.

Militant’s brother rescued

The police claimed that they rescued a person who was allegedly kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Nikloora area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

“Shakeel Ahmad, brother of a militant, was rescued,” the police said.

On the growing incidents of attacks on civilians, Mr. Kumar noted that providing security to all soft targets was not possible. “There is no lapse on the security front. Soft target was attacked who were not provided security by us. It is not possible to provide security to every soft target,” he added.