Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Dec 20: The people held strong protest and blocked Jammu-Rajouri road at Muradpur for about three hours today, after a local NC leader was shot dead by a VDC member during a tiff at Kesargalla area of Potha in Kalakote last night.
The deceased, identified as 32-year-old Ishtiaq Choudhary, son of Faqir Mohd, resident of the same area had some altercation with the local ration dealer Ashwani Kumar at around 7.30 pm on Saturday. Ashwani’s father Kewal Krishan (60), a VDC member tried to intervene but the quarrel turned fierce between them and Ishtiaq.
The VDC member in a fit of anger went inside his house and brought out his .12 bore gun and fired on Ishtiaq. He received serious injuries and was rushed to Potha and then Kalakote hospital but he reportedly died on the way.
The police party from Kalkote rushed to the village and arrested the accused Kewal Krishan and seized the gun last mid night. A case was also registered in this connection. The police after completion of legal formalities handed over the body to the family.
Today the family members, relatives of the deceased and a large number of people from the area including NC activists took the dead body of Ishtiaq and then placed it on the road at Muradpur near Rajouri. They covered nearly 15 km distance on foot and started protest demonstration. They blocked Jammu-Rajouri road and started protest demanding arrest of all the seven members of Kewal’s family. They were also demanding disbanding of VDCs in the area, Rs 10 lakh compensation for the family and a Government job for one of the members. Later, ex-MLA Kalakote Rashpal Singh and Ex-MLA Rajouri Shabir Ahmed Khan also arrived there.
SHO Rajouri Inspector Chaman Gorkha and DySP Hqrs reached the spot but people refused to clear the road. Later, SSP Rajeshwar Singh and DC Rajouri Shabir Ahmed Bhat also reached there. The DC said that Rs 2 lakh compensation will be paid immediately to the family and he would recommend the case to the Government.
He also assured to manage job for one of the family members. The SSP also assured to review VDCs in the district and take appropriate action in this regard. Later, the people lifted dead body and cleared the road. The movement of vehicular traffic remained stalled for nearly 3 hours from 12 noon to 3 pm.
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