Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 20: Militants today shot dead a Sarpanch in Sopore township of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district taking the number of Sarpanchs killed in recent violence to three.
Sixty-five-year-old Ghulam Ahmad Bhat, of village Bomai in Sopore was fired upon by militants near the main chowk in the village. The gunmen fled after carrying out the attack, leaving Bhat in a pool of blood. He was rushed to nearby hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.
Police immediately launched a hunt to nab the assailants. No militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the killing.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that his killing was another reminder of risks associated with fighting elections. “A Sarpanch shot dead, this time in the Sopore region. Another grim reminder of the risks associated with fighting an election. My condolences to the family of the assassinated Sarpanch Jenab Bhat Sahib. May Allah grant him place in Jannat”, tweeted Omar.
Earlier, a Sarpanch of National Conference, Ghulam Mohammad Mir alias Bedar, was kidnapped from his house in Tarzoo Sopore on December 12 and later killed.
An NC Sarpanch was killed at Nazneenpora in South Kashmir district of Shopian on November 30.
A PDP Sarpanch and a PDP worker survived bids on their lives in Shopian and Srinagar while brother of deceased PDP Sarpanch was shot dead in Gulzarpora Pulwama last month.
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