A village council chief killed by terrorists on Friday had disregarded security protocols and left his official accommodation without informing police, the inspector general of police of Kashmir said on Saturday.
“The sarpanch who was killed by militants last night had left his official accommodation in Srinagar without informing police,” Vijay Kumar, inspector general of police, Kashmir, said on the sidelines of a public event in Srinagar.
Militants find panchayat members to be easy targets, he said.
“The panchayat members who face militant threats will be provided security and safe accommodation,” Kumar added.
Top security officers held a high-level meeting at Kulgam in south Kashmir after three panchayat members were killed in the district in recent days.
Unidentified gunmen had opened fire at Shabir Ahmad Mir outside his residence at Okay village on Friday evening. He died on the spot.
On March 9, another village council head, Sameer Bhat, was shot dead by terrorists on the outskirts of Srinagar.
A week earlier, terrorists had shot dead a panchayat member, Mohammad Yaqub Dar, in the Srandoo area of Kulgam district.
{{/usCountry}}A week earlier, terrorists had shot dead a panchayat member, Mohammad Yaqub Dar, in the Srandoo area of Kulgam district.
{{/usCountry}}Leaders of mainstream political parties have blamed the government for failing to secure lives of the political workers.
Meanwhile, political leaders and workers have said despite completion of necessary procedures, they haven’t been given security.
Tarun Chugh condemns killing of sarpanch
BJP’s national general secretary and in-charge, Jammu and Kashmir, Tarun Chugh on Saturday strongly condemned the killing of a sarpanch in Kulgam. In a statement issued here, Chugh termed the incident highly condemnable and deplorable while demanding the perpetrators of this heinous act be brought to justice.
He also said that there was no justification to kill an innocent and violence in all its manifestation has no place in any civilized society across the world.