Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Anil Parihar and his brother Ajit were shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar on Thursday evening. Parihar was BJP's state secretary for Jammu and Kashmir.

Tension gripped Kishtwar after the killings as locals started stone pelting on vehicles of security forces. The local administration has imposed a curfew in the area. Army has also been called in to maintain law and order in the area following the incident.

Anil Parihar and his brother Ajeet were returning from their shop in Kishtwar when they were fired upon from close range at a dark, narrow lane leading to their house. The assailants were apparently waiting for the brothers to return home and used pistols to target them, police said.

They were rushed to a hospital where doctors declared them brought dead.

Condemning the killings, BJP president Amit Shah described the incident as a 'cowardly act'.

Just got the tragic news of killing of Shri Anil Parihar, Secretary @BJP4JnK, and his brother by terrorists in Kishtwar. This is a cowardly act that shames humanity. I grieve the death of my valued colleague and pray that God gives his family strength to bear this untimely loss.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 1, 2018

Divisional Commissioner (Jammu) Sanjeev Verma said that police are investigating the matter.

BJP state general secretary Ashok Kaul condemned the attack. This is the first attack on any political leader in the Jammu region in past several years.