An employee of health department was shot dead by unknown persons in apple town of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.A police official told GNS that unknown gunmen from a point blank range opened fire upon the Pharmacist Altaf Rehman Sheikh (45) son of Mohammad Yousf Sheikh near New Colony in Sopore.Sheikh received serious head injuries and was immediately shifted to Sub-District Hospital Sopore where he succumbed to injuries.Block Medical Officer, Sopore Dr Masood while confirming the death told GNS that Sheikh was working in Sopore hospital as a Pharmacist.Sheikh, according to sources was working as an OGW for militants and had been arrested by police for some time.Father of the deceased who returned from Pakistan via Nepal in 2004, is said to be a senior worker of Jamat-e-Islami as well as Hurriyat conference headed by Geelani. It could not be immediately ascertained as to why pharmacist was killed even as police said it has launched investigations into the killing. (GNS)