Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRI NAGAR: A BJP worker was killed and his two Personal Security Officers (PSOs) injured in a terrorist attack in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Wednesday, while a police constable has gone missing along with his service rifle in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir.

A police officer said militants fired towards a Scorpio vehicle at Rajpora chowk in Pulwama on Wednesday afternoon.“A BJP worker Ghulam Nabi Patel resident of Dangerpora, Shadimarg in Pulwama and two of his PSOs travelling in the vehicle sustained bullet injuries,” he said.

The injured were evacuated to nearby hospital, where Patel succumbed to his injuries.He said condition of the two PSOs identified as Imtiyaz Ahmad Zargar and Bilal Ahmad Mir is stated to be stable.After the shoot-out, police and paramilitary personnel laid siege around the area to nab the assailants, however, no arrests were reported.

BJP district president Pulwama Mohsin Abdul Gani told TNIE, “Patel had campaigned for a PDP leader Haseeb Drabu in the 2014 Assembly polls and had later joined the BJP. He was very active member of our party.”He said the BJP leadership has asked party workers in the Valley to maintain a low profile.Meanwhile, a police constable identified as Tariq Ahmad Bhat posted at Police Post Pakherpora in central Kashmir’s Budgam district has gone missing with his service rifle since Tuesday evening.

“He was supposed to take guard duty at 9 pm yesterday. However, he fled with an AK-47 rifle and ammunition,” a police officer said.He said a manhunt has been launched to track him down.Asked whether the missing cop has joined terrorist ranks, he said, “We are verifying it.”

Earlier, an Army man Mir Idrees Sultan, who was posted in Bihar and had come on leave to his native place in south Kashmir’s Shopian district, joined militant group Hizbul Mujahideen on April 15.His picture with an AK-47 rifle and ammunition pouch announcing that he has joined Hizb went viral on April 15.