Terrorists gun down 55-year-old civilian in JK's Kulgam

Terrorists shot dead a civilian in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said in Srinagar.

Satish Kumar Singh, a Rajput, was shot by terrorists in Kakran area of the south Kashmir district at around 7.30 pm.

Officials said the two police personnel posted at his house rushed out after hearing gunfire and found Singh in a pool of blood.

Fifty-five-year-old Singh, who received one bullet in the head and two in the chest, was taken to a hospital in Srinagar where he died.

"Civilian Satish Kumar Singh, a resident of Kulgam, succumbed to his injuries at hospital. Terrorists involved in this gruesome terror crime will be neutralised soon. Search to track the involved terrorists in progress," the police said in a tweet.

Officials suspect that a new recruit of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba terror group was involved in the attack.

Kulgam and Shopian districts have small pockets with Rajput families who have not migrated out of Jammu and Kashmir.

They are mainly into apple business.

Terrorists have stepped up attacks on civilians in south Kashmir over the past 10 days.

Four labourers hailing from outside Jammu and Kashmir were injured in two separate attacks in Pulwama last week, while a Kashmiri Pandit shopkeeper was shot and injured by terrorists in Shopian.

The attack on the civilian in Kulgam came on a day a "threat" letter was circulated at Veeraan village in Baramulla district of north Kashmir.

A hitherto unknown group, named 'Lashkar-e-Islami', had threatened the residents of the village where a group of Kashmiri Pandits live.

"The matter has been reported to us, cognisance has been taken and investigation initiated. We are looking into the credibility and authenticity of the letter," the police said.

"Threat does not seem to be viable given that the terror organisation seems non-existent, the letter is unsigned and posted, as also the security & precautions already taken are robust. However, precautionary fresh assessment and assurance measures are being taken," it said.

Miscreants who give such threats to disturb peace and tranquillity will be nabbed soon and dealt with strictly, the police said.