IN THE latest targeted killing in the Kashmir Valley, suspected militants shot a 42-year-old bank guard in the Achan area of Pulwama in J&K Sunday, leaving the lone Kashmiri Pandit family in the village in mourning.
Family members of the victim, Sanjay Sharma, told The Indian Express that he was shot less than a hundred metres away from his home while on the way to buy medicines from the local market with his wife. While his wife escaped unhurt, Sharma was critically injured in the attack and died as he was being rushed to hospital.
The family had been provided police protection, with a post comprising five policemen set up outside their mud-and-brick home about three months ago.
Sharma is the fifth Kashmiri Pandit to be killed in the Valley since militants renewed targeted attacks on the community in October 2021. He was among four of the five victims who had not left the Valley when militancy erupted in Kashmir.
Following the incident, the Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS) called for a protest shutdown on Monday and slammed the Centre for the situation.
Confirming that there “was armed guard” in the village, the J&K police said in a tweet: “Terrorists fired upon one civilian from minority namely Sanjay Sharma S/O Kashinath Sharma R/O Achan Pulwama while on way to local market. He was shifted to hospital. However, he succumbed to injuries.”
Before the onset of militancy, Achan village housed over 60 Pandit households, comprising almost half the village, local residents said. All of them left for Jammu in 1990, they said, except for the Sharmas. On Sunday, Sharma’s body, surrounded by mourners, was kept in a tent outside his family home, awaiting the arrival of one of his brothers, who is a policeman posted in Jammu.
Sharma is survived by wife Sunita and their three children — two daughters and a son. Their eldest child, a daughter, is studying in Class IV. Sharma shared the two-storey house with two elder brothers, who work as priests. He was constructing a new house next door, family members said.
“Sanjay had gone to buy medicines. He had met with an accident about 20 years ago and would often have headaches… Now we don’t know whether we should stay back or leave like the others,” said Ashok Sharma, the victim’s elder brother.
According to the victim’s family, he was working as a bank security guard and posted at an ATM less than 200 yards from his house. “He would be regular for his shifts. However, since the attacks (targeting Pandits) over the past few months, he stopped coming to the ATM,” said Mohammad Maqbool, Sharma’s colleague and ATM guard.
“He was such a nice man, very gentle. It is very unfortunate. We fail to understand what is happening,” said one of the family’s neighbours, Jehangir Ahmad.
Sunday’s attack comes four months after the last such killing, of orchard-owner Puran Krishan Bhat who was killed outside his house in Chowdhary Gund village of Shopian.
J&K L-G Manoj Sinha condemned the latest attack. “My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. The administration has given a free hand to security forces to deal with the terrorists and we will continue to combat such acts of terrorism firmly and decisively,” Sinha said in a statement.
However, the KPSS, an organisation of Kashmiri Pandits who stayed back in the Valley during the militancy, hit out at the Government and the L-G.
“Government and BJP4Inia can’t handle 75 lakh Kashmiri population and want to control PoK and Balochistan. Kashmiri Pandits are killed like dogs in Kashmir and HMOIndia and @OfficeofLGJandK censor the information. Kashmir is the most dangerous place for Kashmiri Pandits in this world,” KPSS tweeted. “Shame on Manoj Sinha. Yet another non-migrant Kashmiri Pandit (was killed)…”
The latest killing was also condemned by political leaders in the Valley.
“Deeply saddened to hear of the demise of Sanjay Pandit of Achan in Pulwama district of South Kashmir. Sanjay was working as a bank security guard & was killed in a militant attack earlier today,” former CM and NC leader Omar Abdullah tweeted. “I unequivocally condemn this attack & send my condolences to his loved ones.”
Former CM and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti accused the Centre of failing to protect minorities in the Valley. “The vicious cycle of killings doesn’t seem to end. GOI has failed to protect minorities in J&K & reduced them to sitting ducks,” Mufti said in a tweet. “Everyone here is paying a heavy price for this facade of normalcy. My deepest condolences to his family”.
Family members mourn the death of Sanjay Sharma in Achan village of Pulwama in J&K, Sunday. (Express photo by Shuaib Masoodi) 
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