Militants gun down village sarpanch in Kashmir

Suspected militants late on Monday evening shot dead a village sarpanch in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

A senior police officer said militants shot at and critically wounded Ghulam Mohammad Lone, a sarpanch in Nyayna village of Pulwamadistrict.

“Militants fired at Lone from a close range outside his home. He had received two critical bullet injuries in his head and leg, and succumbed while being shifted to capital Srinagar for treatment,” the officer said.

Senior police officers rushed to Nyayna village along with police reinforcements.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for the killing.

This is the sixth killing of elected village representatives (panches and sarpanches) who have been clamouring for security.

The state government, however, has expressed inability to provide individual security to over 34,000 panches and sarpanches.

This has forced scores of elected village representatives to submit their resignations.

Lone, sources said, belonged to the ruling National Conference.