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Kashmir sarpanch shot dead in Kulgam, 3rd panchayat member to be killed in 10 days
The Kashmir Police said Shabir Ahmad Mir was given accomodation at a secured hotel in Kashmir’s Srinagar but he went to his Kulgam house without informing the police.
SRINAGAR: Suspected terrorists on Friday shot dead a sarpanch in Kashmir’s Kulgam district 70km from Srinagar, the third panchayat leader to be killed by terrorists this month, police said.
A police officer said the attack took place at 8.20pm on Friday when suspected terrorists opened fire at sarpanch, Shabir Ahmad Mir, in Kulgam district’s Audoora area. Mir was rushed to a nearby hospital but did not survive the bullet injuries.
Shabir Ahmad Mir was initially identified as a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but this was denied by the party.
In a statement tweeted by Kashmir Police, Kashmir inspector general of police Vijay Kumar said the sarpanch was given accommodation at a secured hotel in Srinagar. But he left home and went home without informing police personnel. “All PPs (protected persons)are #advised to kindly follow SOPs (standard operating procedures,” Kumar said.
A police spokesperson, citing initial investigations, said terrorists shot at Shabir Ahmad Mir at Audoora area of Kulgam. “In this terror incident, he had sustained critical gunshot injuries and was immediately shifted to a nearby hospital for the treatment where he succumbed to his injuries”.
The officer said the area has been cordoned off and efforts are being made to establish the “circumstances which lead to this terror crime”.
On Wednesday evening (March 9), sarpanch Sameer Ahmad Bhat was shot dead in Khanmoh on the outskirts of Srinagar.
Bhat, 40, was home when terrorists barged into his house and started firing, Bhatt sustained two bullet injuries in the chest and died soon after.
On March 2, an independent panchayat member, Mohammad Yaqub Dar, was shot dead by terrorists in Kulgam district.
Friday’s repeat targetting of panchayat members provoked sharp condemnation from Jammu and Kashmir’s political parties.
“Strongly condemn yet another barbaric and cowardice act wherein another public representative and the grassroots worker Shabir Ahmed Mir was killed at Odoura, in Kulgam district of South Kashmir. It’s an attack on democracy and such attacks won’t be tolerated. Pertinently, slain Shabir wasn’t affiliated with BJP,” Altaf Thakur, BJP spokesman, said.
The National Conference also expressed shock over the killing of sarpanch. “We condemn in the most vigorous way this cowardly attack & express our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased,” the party spokesman said.
