Kupwara, Apr 29: A 43-year-old man from north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, who was shot by terrorists late Saturday night, succumbed to his injuries at a Srinagar hospital on Sunday, officials confirmed.
The victim, Ghulam Rasool Magray, son of Ghulam Hassan Magray of Kandi Khas, was attacked at his residence around 10:45 pm. According to officials and family members, a group of unidentified gunmen barged into his home under the cover of a power outage, claiming they needed to conduct searches. The assailants then dragged Magray outside and opened fire, critically injuring him in the abdomen and wrist.
Magray, a daily wage labourer and social activist, was initially rushed to the District Hospital in Handwara before being referred to Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital in Srinagar due to the severity of his injuries. Despite efforts by the medical team, he succumbed to his wounds early Sunday morning.
The attack has left the Kandi Khas village in mourning. Magray, who was unmarried and lived with his ailing mother, was known locally for his social work. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and officials have not ruled out any possibilities, given the heightened security alert in the Valley following the recent Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, mostly tourists, just days earlier.
Kupwara police have registered a case and launched a thorough investigation into the killing. Security forces have intensified operations across the region, with a crackdown on terrorist sympathizers and over 2,000 detentions reported valley-wide in the wake of the Pahalgam massacre.
Local political leaders, including Langate MLA Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh and Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone, have condemned the killing and called for accountability, urging authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice.
As the body of Ghulam Rasool Magray undergoes medico-legal formalities before being handed over to his family, the incident has further heightened tensions and underscored the ongoing threat posed by terrorism in Kashmir, even as security forces continue their efforts to restore peace and stability in the region.
