BJP Youth Leader Killed By Militants In Shopian Had Met Ram Madhav Three Days Ago

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) youth leader was found dead with his throat slit in Kiloora area, around 60 km south of Srinagar. The body of Gowhar Ahmad Bhat was found this evening. The police say they have filed a murder case. The police said militants were involved in his killing.

According to the SP Shopian, Shriram Dinkar, on Thursday evening at about 6:30 p.m. the police got information that a body was lying in the orchards at Kiloora. Dinkar told Outlook the police party found face and neck injuries on the body. He said Bhat was hailing from Bongam Shopian area and was working as Asha worker with National Rural Health Mission (NRHM). He said the police was looking at the all angles into the murder. The officer said prima facie it looks that militants are involved in the killing as there is no rivalry involved. “We are looking at all the angles”, he added.

Bhat had joined BJP in 2014 and later in January 2016 he was made district president of the party looking after it in the volatile Shopian district.

The Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who is also home minister of the state, condemned the killing. “My condolences with the family. This unending violence has to stop”, she said.

“Tragedy strikes at BJP. Gowhar Bhat district youth president, Shopian in Kashmir killed by terrorists. Met me just 3 days ago in Srinagar,” BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav tweeted.

“Body found with throat slit. Price we pay in our fight against terrorism. Deep condolences.These sacrifices make our determination stronger”, Madhav tweeted.

Bhat was recently in a rally organized by the BJP youth wing in Srinagar. The BJP youth wing president Poonam Mahajan had addressed the rally.

It was the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir that BJP youth wing president visited Srinagar to address people. Around 1500 to 2000 BJP workers including over 1000 girls, had assembled to listen to Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) president, Poonam Mahajan.

The BJYM president, and MP, Poonam Mahajan, had described the rally as only a trailer. “Picture abi baqi hai”, she had said. “There will be super hit picture”, she had said. She had welcomed the youths including Bhat the BJP and announced she would take him and other workers, to Delhi and Mumbai.

The state BJYM president Suresh Ajay Magotra condemned the killing and said that the government should take stern action against those who indulge in this shameful and regretful incident.