Former Jammu and Kashmir legislator and BJP leader, Faqeer Mohammad Khan on Thursday shot himself dead in Srinagar city. He was 62.
Official sources said that Khan shot himself dead inside a government accommodation in the Tulsibagh area of the city.
Sources said he broke open the almirah in which his personal security officer (PSO) had kept the rifle when he had gone out to offer Namaz.
He was found in a pool of blood with the service rifle of his PSO lying alongside, sources said.
Khan was taken to the hospital, where doctors said he was dead on arrival.
Police have registered a case in this incident and an investigation started to ascertain the details, officials said.
It was not immediately known why he took the extreme step.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah disclosed this during the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly session, which is currently underway.
The Assembly mourned his demise and observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect.
Political leaders have expressed their condolences, recalling his contributions to public service in the region.
Khan had fought the last Assembly election in 2024 on a BJP ticket from the Gurez Assembly constituency of Bandipora district. He was defeated in those elections by Nazir Ahmad Khan Gurezi of the National Conference (NC).
Khan had won the Assembly elections in 1996 from the Gurez Assembly constituency as an Independent candidate. He joined the BJP in 2020.
Legislative Assembly elections were held last year in the union territory after the successful, people-participative Lok Sabha elections. In the Assembly elections, NC won 42, BJP 29, Congress 6, PDP 3, CPI(M) 1, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) 1, PC 1, and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) one. Six Independents also won the elections
All its 29 Assembly seats were won by the BJP from the Jammu division. The party could not win a single seat in Kashmir.