Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers were shot dead by terrorists in South Kashmir's Kulgam district on Thursday evening.
The slain BJP workers have been identified as Fida Hussain Itoo, Umer Hajam, and Umer Rashid Beigh. All three deceased were residents of Kulgam. Itoo was the General Secretary of the Kulgam unit of the Yuva Morcha.
According to police, terrorists fired upon the three persons in Y K Pora area of Kulgam district late on Thursday evening.
However, the trio was brought dead to the hospital, Dr Asima Nazeer, medical superintendent of Emergency Hospital Qazigund said.
Meanwhile, officials said that the area has been cordoned off to nab the attackers.
The Resistance Front (TRF), which is believed to be a shadow group of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the killings.
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In a message in English and Hindi on its social media account, the TRF said "crematoriums will get overbooked".
Meanwhile, the BJP has termed the killing as "barbaric".
"This is a highly barbaric act. We condemn the killings of our party workers. Militants don't spare the unarmed people on the auspicious occasion of Eid-e- Milad un Nabi (SAW)," BJP JK spokesperson Altaf Thakur said in a statement.
He also urged the police to track down the killers and punish them sternly.
Terrorists have since June stepped up attacks on BJP workers and leaders, killing eight of them so far.
In a similar attack in Bandipora in July, a BJP leader, his father and brother were killed by the ultras.
Leaders condemn killing of 3 BJP workers
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday condemned the killing of three BJP workers in Jammu and Kashmir, and said they were bright youngsters doing excellent work there.
"I condemn the killing of 3 of our young Karyakartas. They were bright youngsters doing excellent work in J&K," Modi said in a tweet.
"My thoughts are with their families in this time of grief. May their souls rest in peace," he tweeted.
Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti condemned the killing of three BJP workers in Jammu and Kashmir.
Taking to the Twitter, she wrote: "Saddened to hear about the killing of three BJP workers in Kulgam. Condolences to their families. At the end of the day, its people of J&K who pay with their lives because of GOI’s ill thought out policies".
Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah condemned the gruesome killing of three BJP workers in Kulgam.
"Terrible news from Kulgam district of South Kashmir. I unequivocally condemn the targeted killing of the 3 BJP workers in a terror attack. May Allah grant them place in Jannat & may their families find strength during this difficult time", he tweeted.
