Former militant, son killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir

A former militant and his three-year-old son were killed by unidentified gunmen in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said Saturday.

The gunmen entered their house at village Sagipora near Sopore town, about 65 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Last late evening unidentified militants hurled a grenade towards house of a former militant Bashir Ahmad Bhat, which failed to explode. In fear, Bhat tried to run away but gunmen immediately fired upon him and his three-year-old son," a police official posted in town said. "While Bhat was killed on spot, his son succumbed to his wounds at SKIMS hospital in Srinagar early today. "

Bhat according to locals had quit militancy and was living life as civilian. Police suspect hand of local militants into the killing.

However, no militant outfit has claimed responsibility of the attack so far. Militants in the region usually target families and individuals for their possible links with police and defense agencies. Even people having associations with pro-India political parties are targeted at times.

The killing of father-son duo evoked strong condemnations from separatist groups and pro-Indian political parties.

Region's Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Saturday mourned the killing of three-year old child.

"My heart goes out to the unfortunate mother of the young child, for whom the passing away of his son in such inhuman circumstances will be an earth-shattering experience," Sayeed said in a statement.

Syed Ali Geelani, the senior most separatist leader of the region termed the killing of father- son as 'inhuman and un- Islamic' and asked people to identify killers behind this brutal act.

"Killing of an innocent is the killing of whole humanity," a local news-gathering agency quoted Geelani as having said. "I condemn this killing and appeal people as well pro- freedom leadership to protest and identify these killers."

Geelani has called for a complete shutdown on Sunday across the region against these killings.

Meanwhile, a bullet-ridden body of militant commander was recovered in village Kunzer near Tangmarag of Baramulla district on Saturday morning.

According to police the militant commander was affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).

Police is tight-lipped about his killing but point fingers at the rivalry within HM. However a local news-gathering agency quotes HM's spokesman saying its militant commander was killed by Indian forces in Tangmarg area and his associates managed to flee from the area.

Earlier on Monday bodies of three militants belonging to HM were found inside an apple orchard in nearby Pattan area.

Two months before a series of mysterious killings took place in Sopore and adjacent areas.

A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989. Endi