SRINAGAR: Militants on Saturday shot dead a former Sessions Judge, Mr Nilkant Ganjoo, who was on their hit list for sentencing to death Maqbool Bhat, the founder leader of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JK LF).
Sixty eight year old, Mr Gan joo, who had survived several previous attempts on his life, was shot dead in broad daylight in Hani Singh High Street, a busy commercial area. A passerby, Moham mad Maqbool, was hit by a bullet, witnesses said.
Three bullets were pumped into Mr Ganjoo who died on the spot. The state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party vice president, Mr Tikalal Taploo, was killed on September 14 had earlier gunned down Mr Yusuf Halwai, a block president of the ruling National Conference.
Panic gripped the city and shops and commercial establishments.
which had opened after four days of consecutive bandh closed in seyeral areas of the city.
People were seen rushing to safer places as police contingents reached the site and cordoned off the area.
Maqbool Bhat, who was found guilty of assassinating an intelligence officer in 1978, was hanged in Delhi’s Tihar jail on February 11, 1984.
To secure his release JKLF activists had kidnaped an Indian diplomat, Mr R.S. Mahatre in Bri tain and subsequently killed him on February 3, 1984.
The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, expressed “shock” at the killing of the retired Sessions Judge.
Expressing his deep sympathy with the bereaved family the Chief Minister said that “those responsible for the dastardly crime shall have to face the consequences according to the law of the land”.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 10, 1989
