Militants shot dead a BJP councillor in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Wednesday night.
A group of three militants opened indiscriminate fire at BJP leader Rakesh Pandita around 10.15 pm while he was visiting his friend's house in the Tral area of Pulwama, police said. His friend's daughter also suffered injuries and was hospitalised in critical condition.
The attack was condemned by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and leaders cutting across party lines, including Mehbooba Mufti and Sajad Lone.
According to the police spokesperson, Pandita was a "protected person" and had been provided with two Personal Security Officers (PSOs) and a secured accommodation in Srinagar.
At the time of the incident, Pandita was without any PSO as he defied the standard operating procedure (SoP) and went to his native village in the south Kashmir district without his security.
Also Read | 124-year-old woman in J&K's Baramulla given Covid jab: officials