Gunmen kill political worker in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Unidentified gunmen killed an activist affiliated with a pro-India political party in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said Thursday.

Ghulam Nabi Khawja, 46, was killed outside his house in Kargund village of Handwara in frontier Kupwara district, about 71 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Last evening gunmen killed Ghulam Nabi Khawja in Karlgund-Handwara," a senior police official told Xinhua.

"The gunmen took Khawja outside his residence and fired upon him from a point-blank range."

Locals said Khawja was immediately removed to the nearest medical facility but doctors there declared him brought dead.

Khawja, a lower rank employee in education department, according to locals was associated with Peoples Conference.

The unidentified gunmen fled from the spot soon after the attack, reports said.

So far no militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the killing.

Militants in the region usually target families and individuals for their possible links with Indian police and defense agencies.

Large-scale protests against New Delhi's rule are going on in the Muslim majority areas of the restive region since July 8, following the killing of a top militant commander.

According to local media reports so far more than 90 people, mostly young men and children, were killed, besides over 12,000 others injured during the past 96 days of shutdown and restrictions.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their Independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Endit