Unidentified gunmen kill RSS leader, his PSO in Kishtwar

A leader of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and his security guard were killed Tuesday when unidentified gunmen fired at them inside district hospital Kishtwar, prompting authorities to impose curfew and call out the army to “maintain law and order”, officials said.

“Two to three armed men entered the out-patient department(OPD) of the district hospital at around 11.45 am, wherein they saw RSS leader,Chanderkant Sharma. They opened fire at him, injuring him critically whilekilling his personal security officer Rajinder on the spot,” an official said.

   

Sharma, who was a pharmacist at the hospital, was present inthe OPD with two PSOs, he said, adding that the “gunmen were watching hismovements and thereafter opened fire”.

Sharma was airlifted to the government medical college andhospital Jammu, where he succumbed at around 4.15 pm, the official said.

Jammu range inspector general of police, M K Sinha said:”What I have been told is that there were two gunmen who had followed Sharma’smovements. One of them was wearing a purple jacket, while the other had put ona black jacket”.

“After shooting at the leader, the gunmen fled from thespot. They had a driver and white car waiting for them behind the OPD, whichthey boarded to escape,” the IGP said.

The IGP further said that the army was called out tomaintain law and order in Kishtwar and Bhaderwah districts.

“The army also conducted a flag march to bring the situationunder control,” he said, adding that curfew was imposed and internet suspendedas a “precautionary measure”.

After the attack, Sinha said, the gunmen took awayRajinder’s service rifle and fled from the spot.

Following the attack, protests broke out in Kishtwar townagainst the government and police.

Sharma was a prominent RSS leader in the Chenab Valley andhad survived three attacks earlier as well, an official source said.

“He (Sharma) was a close associate of Anil Parihar and hadmet the Parihar brothers moments before they were killed last year,” the sourcesaid.

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