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Militants kill independent candidate from Handwara

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

Militants on Friday afternoon gunned down an independent candidate, Sheikh Abdul Rahman, from the Handwara constituency of northern Kupwara district.

Rahman was killed on the spot at Wadipora, nearly 80 km Srinagar, when he was shot in the chest from point blank range.

Sheikh had been contesting the assembly election from Handwara since 1987, but was defeated every time by ruling National Conference candidate and state Agriculture Minister Chowdhary Mohammad Ramzan.

The police said that Sheikh was provided tight security by the administration after he filed his nomination papers.

Pro-Pakistan Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen claimed responsibility for the attack.

Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and Jamiat had recently asked the candidates to withdraw from the contest by middle of September or 'face consequences'.

Meanwhile, the police said another campaign vehicle of Janta Dal-United was ambushed by militants at Kandi Kupwara village resulting in injuries to four workers who were shifted to a local hospital hospital.

Jammu and Kashmir Elections 2002: The complete coverage

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