Shock, disbelief and outrage gripped Kashmir after Bukhari's assassination.
In an audacious attack, suspected terrorists shot dead leading journalist Shujaat Bukhari, outside his office at Press Colony on Thursday evening. Shock, disbelief and outrage gripped Kashmir after Bukhari's assassination. He was the editor-in-chief of prestigious daily, The Rising Kashmir Syed Shujaat Bukhari. His personal security officer (PSO) was also killed while another suffered grievous injury in the attack. Bukhari was leaving when terrorists fired indiscriminately outside his office.
The injured were rushed to the hospital where Bukhari and his PSO were declared dead. The condition of the second PSO is stated to be critical.
"It is a terror attack and we are investigating the case. It is really unfortunate," said SP Pani, inspector general of police, Kashmir Zone.
A former special correspondent of The Hindu, Bukhari was a leading journalist, who worked with prestigious publications before he set up his own newspaper. A widely travelled man, Bukhari was abducted by the terrorists on Residency Road. However, he jumped from the auto-rickshaw in which he was being ferried and fled.
Bukhari's killing evoked sharp reactions from leaders across party lines in Kashmir. "Shocked & deeply saddened by the sudden demise of Shujaat Bukhari. The scourge of terror has reared its ugly head on the eve of Eid. I strongly condemn this act of mindless violence & pray for his soul to rest in peace. My deepest condolences to his family," tweeted Mehbooba Mufti, J&K chief minister.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said the killing of Bukhari is an act of cowardice. "It is an attempt to silence the saner voices of Kashmir. He was a courageous and fearless journalist. Extremely shocked & pained at his death. My thoughts and prayers are with his bereaved family," he tweeted.
Former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted: "May Shujaat find place in Jannat & May his loved ones find strength at this difficult time.. Even in the last tweet he put out he was defending himself, his colleagues & his profession.
He died in the line of duty doing what he did best & loved doing – journalism." Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said he was saddened and shocked by the tragic news. "Such inhumanity is unpardonable. Shujaat was an erudite intellectual a fearless journalist and above all a selfless," he tweeted.
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