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Top journalist Shujaat Bukhali shot dead in Srinagar

Top journalist Shujaat Bukhali shot dead in Srinagar

Some unidentified assailants shot Shujaat Bukhari, a top journalist and editor of the “Rising Kashmir” newspaper in Srinagar on Thursday evening. He later succumbed to his shot injuries. A personal security personnel of him also died in the attack, and an another is struggling for life.

Bukhari was the correspondent of The Hindu’s in Srinagar from 1997 to 2012 and a writer for a few magazines. He was shot near his office in Pratap Park. A number of newspaper offices are surrounding there.

He was attacked from a very close range. The injured journalist succumbed to his chest injuries in a hospital. DGP Jammu and Kashmir, S.P Vaid, informed that the police has yet no clue about the attackers. Bukhari had never complained of any threat to his life, so there seem to be no leads, right now, he said.

Mr Bukhari was known to be a popular commentator on various national TV channels about the state of affairs in the valley. His brother, Basharat Bukhari, is a well-known figure of valley’s political arena and currently serving as Law Minister in Mehbooba Mufti’s government.

Political parties and journalists have condemned the killing. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has said, that terrorism has hit a new low with Shujaat’s killing. It is much more deplorable that the assailants decided to strike on the eve of Eid. She asked the people to get united against forces seeking to undermine our attempts to keep the peace.

She was shown in tears as she recalled her meeting with the slain scribe just a few days ago. A voice of moderation and a courageous and a big-hearted editor was the term used by the Editors’ Guild for him. The Guild calls upon the Government of India to take stern steps to ensure a situation where the media can fulfill its duties without any fear of violence, a statement of the Guild read.

It may be recalled that Shujaat Bukhari was given state protection since an attack on him in 2000. He was well known for organising a number of programmes for peace in the Kashmir valley. He was also associated with an alternate channel’s dialogue process with Pakistan.

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