Neyaz Elahi
Srinagar (NVI): A Personal Security Officer (PSO) of a PDP leader was today shot dead by militants in Natipora area on the outskirts of Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir this morning.
Police said that militants shot at the PSO of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader, Haji Parvez.
The PSO, identified as Manzoor Ahmed, sustained bullet injuries in his belly and was shifted to a hospital for treatment where he succumbed.
Shortly after the incident, joint forces rushed to the spot and cordoned off the area. A search operation was also launched.
Giving details about the incident, PDP leader Haji Parvez said that unknown gunmen wanted to attack him but after finding his security guard at the gate, they targeted him.
“My security guard received multiple bullet injuries. Thankfully, another security guard retaliated and forced gunmen to flee from the spot. It was the people who shifted my security guard to a hospital in critical condition,” the PDP leader said.
He accused the government of double standards, saying that his security was downgraded despite the fact that he had been attacked by militants in 2009 also.
“My only fault is that I didn’t change my party. Government has given foolproof security to those who stand nowhere in politics but is targeting other political leaders especially those who are part of Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP. Government should treat everyone equally and provide security cover if it wants politics to thrive in Kashmir,” the leader further said.
Haji Parvez is a senior PDP leader who was the face of the party in the 2008 elections. He lost Assembly Elections in 2008 from Amira Kadal Constituency with a thin margin of over 200 votes to NC candidate Nasir Aslam Wani.
-CHK/ARK
