*Militants ransack houses of cops
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 27: Security forces fired teargas to disperse stone pelters who attacked the election convoy of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Central Kashmir district of Budgam today.
As PDP candidate for Srinagar Parliamentray Constituency Nazir Ahmad Khan was campaigning in Soibugh area of district Budgam, the vehicles of his cavalcade were attacked with stones by a group of youth in village Soibugh this afternoon. Security forces fired a tear shell to disperse the stone pelters.
National Conference leaders including Tanvir Sadiq also faced stone pelting in Hazarpora area of Aripanthan in district Budgam today.
In the meantime, during the wake of protests, the campaign for Parliamentary by-polls which was already a low-key affair in South Kashmir hit further today as Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) cancelled its two election meetings while no other party also conducted any poll rally or meeting.
A statement issued by the JKPCC this morning said that the election meetings of its president G A Mir that were scheduled to be held in Pampore and Pulwama constituencies stands cancelled. Mir is party’s candidate for Anantnag Parliamentary constituency and will be facing Tassaduq Hussain Mufti of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on April 12 when four districts of the South Kashmir will go for by-elections.
A JKPCC leader said that the meetings were cancelled on “humanitarian grounds” as the twin districts of Pulwama and Shopian witnessed protests and shutdown against the killing of two militants in a shootout with security forces. The ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Congress’ poll ally National Conference also didn’t hold any poll meeting or rally in any part of South Kashmir today.
Due to prevailing uncertainty and militant threats, the political parties in South Kashmir districts so far have largely restricted their poll activities within four walls of heavily guarded convention halls. Although ruling PDP last week tried to take out a poll rally at Kulgam district but that was attacked by stone-throwers and resulted in injuries to three party workers.
Meanwhil, militants tonight rancacked the house of police officers in South Kashmir’s Shopian district and fired in air before fleeing.
A police officer said that the militants ransacked the house of Assitant Sub-Inspector of Police, Dilbar Ahmad and his brother Reyaz Ahmad, also a police officer, at village Dairoo in Shopian tonight. The militants fired in air outside the house before fleeing.
Two day before, militants abducted and let of brother and son of a police officer in Central Kashmir’s district of Budgam.
Two militants armed with AK-47 rifles had barged into the house of an officer of Jammu and Kashmir Police, Abdul Samad Bhat at Hafroo Batpora in district Budgam on March 25.
The militants abducted son, Ashiq Bhat and the brother, Bilal Bhat, of the Police officer and took away his Alto car parked inside the compound of the house.
They threatened to kill them but later let them off at Doulatpora and later set ablaze the car at Kral Check Chadoora before fleeing.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel