A personal security officer of Peoples Democratic Party leader Sajad Mufti was shot dead on Friday in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. The incident occurred when Mufti, who is a cousin of party leader former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, was in a mosque in the town of Bijbehara to offer prayers, said unidentified police officials.

“CT Farooq Ahmad of DPL [District Police Lines] Anantnag achieved martyrdom after he was attacked by terrorists at Ziyarat Baba Naseer-Ud-Din Gazi in Bijbehara during Friday prayers,” said Anantnag Police. The gunmen opened fire at Ahmad outside the mosque.

Ahmad, a resident of Dirpora Khiram, was taken to a sub-district hospital in Bijbehara, where he was declared dead on arrival, Greater Kashmir reported. Following the attack, the area was cordoned off and search operations were initiated.

“We pay our rich tributes to martyr Farooq Ahmad, who made supreme sacrifice in the line of duty today at Bijbehara, Anantnag,” Jammu and Kashmir Police tweeted. “We stand by his family at this critical juncture.”

This is the second time in a week that the security officer of a politician has been shot dead in Anantnag. On July 14, suspected militants killed the personal security officer of National Conference leader Syed Tauqeer Shah. Shah was in a meeting at the home of a party worker in Hillad village when the assailants broke in and opened fire at his security officer.