Srinagar, June 3: Close on the heels of killing of a BJP councilor by militants in Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, police on Thursday issued an advisory to bar all the protected persons from going anywhere sans PSOs in the Valley.   

“No protectee should go anywhere without PSOs .Visits are allowed only after ground assessment of local threat is done,” the IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said in an advisory.

The top police officer of Kashmir Valley also requested all protected persons not to violate SOPs and risk their lives unnecessarily.

On Wednesday evening, at about 2215 hours, police said three unidentified militants fired indiscriminately upon the BJP Municipal Councillor of Tral town, Rakesh Pandita at Tral Payeen while he was visiting his friend.

In this incident, police said that Pandita and daughter of his friend received serious gunshot injuries. Pandita succumbed to his injuries while as woman identified Asifa was shifted to Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment.

“It is pertinent to mention that (Pandita) was a protected person and two PSOs were deployed for his security and secured accommodation was also provided to him at Srinagar. However, at the time of incident he was without any security as he defied the SOPs and went to his native village without PSOs,” police said. gns