25.9.12

Sarpanch killings in J&K


Mohammed Shafi Teli, the 42-year-old deputy sarpanch of Nowpora Jageer in Baramulla district, had no chance of survival as he stepped out of his home at around 8.30 pm on Sunday.
Terrorists arrived at his doorstep and pumped four bullets into him from close range, including in his head. He was killed instantly.
Mohammed Shafi, affiliated with the ruling National Conference, is the fourth panchayat official killed in the last one year or so, apart from four who’ve been injured in firing ever since the panchayat were re-started in the state in 2011 after a gap of 23 years.
This was the second killing of a panchayat member in the last two weeks. On September 10, militants had shot dead sarpanch of Palhalan village, Ghulam Mohammad Yatoo, also in Baramulla.
Terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad have been issuing death threats to the panchayat officials, asking them to resign from their posts for past several months. After Yatoo’s killing, over two dozen panch and sarpanch in Palhalan and adjoining areas resigned fearing for their lives.
In fact, over 400 such panchayat officials—of the 2000-odd elected—have resigned following attacks since last year. Two weeks ago, the police claimed to have arrested a hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Nasir Ahmad Ganie alias Nasir Molvi for plotting to kill Yatoo.

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