A Kashmiri Pandit was shot dead by terrorists in the Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, officials said. Puran Krishan Bhat was attacked near his residence in the Chowdhary Gund area of south Kashmir district, they said, adding that doctors declared Krishan dead after he was shifted to Shopian hospital.

A police officer said that he was fired upon by terrorists when he was on the lawn of his residential house. He said that soon after, the injured, identified as Puran Krishan Bhat son of Puran Krishan Bhat of Choudry Gund was immediately shifted to a nearby hospital in critical condition. However, he succumbed to his injuries. The official added that area has been cordoned off to nab the attackers.

Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS) said that the killing was a message to the Union home minister that “everything is not ok” in Kashmir. KPSS president Sanjay Tickoo alleged that authorities are pressurising the victim’s family to perform last rites as soon as possible to show normalcy in the Valley.