PDP leader gunned down in Kashmir

SRINAGAR: Suspected separatist guerrillas gunned down a senior leader of the mainstream Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in north Kashmir on Thursday, police said.

The police said the guerrillas shot Ghulam Muhammad Mir, zonal president of former ruling coalition partner PDP in the main market at Dangiwachi in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, 63 km from here, on Thursday afternoon.

"He was shot in the head and died on the spot. The militants fired at him from a close range. The area was immediately surrounded for searches," a police officer said.

Mir was a prominent political activist of the area. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the killing.

This is the first strike targeting a mainstream political activist in over three months, during which the Kashmir valley witnessed massive pro-freedom protests.

Elections for the state legislative assembly are due in the state which is currently under governor's rule since July 11. The previous elected assembly was dissolved after Ghulam Nabi Azad resigned following PDP's withdrawal of support to the government.

The Election Commission of India is in the process of deciding whether or not to hold the state assembly polls soon.