Anantnag: At least 25 sarpanches in South Kashmir have resigned publicly after some sarpanches in Jammu and Kashmir were recently subjected to a spate of attacks. Two sarpanches have been killed in under a week and a number of sarpanches in the Pulwama district were hauled up in police stations for security reasons.
On Monday night, unidentified gunmen barged into the house of a Congress affiliated sarpanch and shot him and his son dead. Last week, too, a PDP sarpanch was killed by suspected terrorists.
The attacks come just ahead of the Lok Sabha election in Anantnag which is scheduled to take place on Thursday. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has termed the attacks as a effort to stop people from voting.
"The attackers are trying to keep people at bay from fighting elections. If they stop their violence and let people decide on their own if they want to contest election, they will be at loss. That's why they are resorting to such measures," he said.
Investigation into the attacks is underway. "Local terrorists are involved in the attack. We are conducting heavy patrolling. Extra security has been deployed for the polls. I will appeal the voters to cast their vote without any fear," Anantnag DIG Vijay Kumar said.
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