A day after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Gul Mir was killed by militants in Anantnag district, his family blamed the Jammu and Kashmir police for it.
They alleged that despite threat perceptions, his security was withdrawn earlier this year without any reason.
“My father was a protected person. Only in February this year, his security was withdrawn. This made him the soft target of militants.”Zahoor Mir, Gul Mir’s son
On Sunday, Mir’s relatives and villagers turned up in large numbers to perform his last rites in his village in Verinag area of South Kashmir.
Mir, aged 65 – who was known as Atal for his love for former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee – was gunned down by militants at his house in Nowgam village in Verinag a day earlier, on 4 May. The slain leader had multiple bullet injuries and was declared brought dead on arrival.
‘Police Didn’t Take Up Issue of Security’
BJP State General Secretary Ashok Kumar, Spokesperson Altaf Thakur and BJP district president Maqbool Ganai visited the house of the deceased on Sunday – and expressed their solidarity with the family.
Mir, who was currently the BJP’s vice president for Anantnag district, had unsuccessfully contested 2008 and 2014 Assembly elections from Doru Shahabad Assembly seat. He was associated with the BJP’s Muslim Morcha as well.
The BJP leaders present for Mir’s last rites further blamed the police for not providing security despite threat perceptions.
“I, on a number of occasions, took up the issue of his security with SSP Anantnag and SHO concerned, but they did not pay any heed.”Ashok Kumar, General Secretary BJP
The third leg of elections are being held for the Anantnag Lok Sabha seat in the twin districts of Pulwama and Shopian on Monday, 6 May.
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