A police officer said Bhat, BJP’s youth district president for Shopian, was abducted from his home in Shopian town around 6 p.m. His body, with the throat slit, was later recovered from a nearby village, reports The Indian Express.

The police told Deccan Chronicle that it has registered a case and launched investigation into the incident which appears to be murder by suspected militants. “The body with slit throat was found in Khilira village. We have taken by investigations,” said Shopian’s SSP Shri Ram.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned Bhat’s killing and while sympathizing with the bereaved family said, “I appeal all sections of society to come forward to end this cycle of violence in the state”.

The incident comes more than two weeks after suspected militants shot dead a worker of Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the same district.

In a similar incident, a school teacher Aijaz Ahmed Lone was found dead with slit throat in Shopian’s Wathoo village on October 18. He was a resident of neighbouring Gatipora and the officials had suspect the militants belonging to Hizb-ul-Mujahiddin were behind his killing.

The killing is the latest strike by militants in the border state after the Centre relaunched the dialogue process, reports Hindustan Times.

(Feature Image Source: AFP)