Ultras kill former militant, injure his 3-year-old son

A former militant was on Friday killed and his three-year-old son injured after unidentified militants struck at his residence, about 55 kms from Srinagar in Sopore area of Kashmir.

The victim Bashir Ahmed Bhat, who had quit militancy after serving a prison term, was attacked when he was playing with his son near his residence at Sagipora at around 7.50 pm, official sources said.

“Bashir succumbed to injuries on the spot while his three year old son who was in his lap was critically injured. He was evacuated to hospital for treatment,” the officer told Rediff.com.

The militants, suspected to be of either Hizbul Mujahideen or its breakaway faction Laskhar-e-Islam, first lobbed a hand grenade, which failed to explode. Sensing trouble, Bhat tried to escape with his son but the militants opened fired with their automatic guns injuring him and his child, they said.

Both were rushed to hospital but Bhat succumbed to his injuries on way while the three year old son was in a critical condition, they said.