The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Kashmir unit said on Thursday condemned the killing of 25-year-old Arif Sofi by unidentified gunmen in Baramulla district on Wednesday, local daily Kashmir News Observer reported. The saffron party claimed the deceased youth was a BJP worker.

“We are pained to learn about the brutal murder of our worker in Sopore,” state BJP president Sat Sharma, state general secretary Ashok Kaul and Kashmir affairs in-charge Narendra Singh said in a joint statement. “Our deepest condolences to his family. Terrorists must realise that they cannot stop the youth of the valley from choosing a better future for themselves.”

“Killing human beings in every form is cowardly and against humanity,” the leaders added. The Kashmir Police have begun an investigation into the incident, PTI reported.