The incident came hours after a village Sarpanch was critically wounded when militants fired at him near the main bus stand in the adjoining Shopian district.
A senior police officer said militants fired at Bashir Ahmad Dar, a retired deputy superintendent of police, as he was coming out of a mosque after offering prayers at Ashmuji in Kulgam district.
"Dar was immediately shifted to local hospital where attending doctors referred him to Srinagar for specialised treatment, "the officer said. He said Dar, however, succumbed to injuries.
Senior police officers along with reinforcements reached the spot and the area was searched. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the killing.
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