Unknown assailants shot dead a sarpanch, belonging to ruling National Conference, in Palhalan area of Pattan Monday evening.
Reports said Ghulam Mohammad Yatoo, son of Abdul Karim, a sarpanch (Village Head) from Palhalan Block ‘C’ was coming out from the mosque when gunmen fired upon him from a close range.
A senior police officer blamed militants and said Yatoo was shot at in Palhallan, a village on the Srinagar-Muzaffarbad highway.
Eyewitnesses said hat 64-year-old Yatoo died on the spot though he was rushed to hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.
Police cordoned off the area and launched a manhunt to nab the assailants.
However, no arrests have been made till reports last came in late Monday night.
Yatoo was a retired transport employee who had successfully contested the Panchayat Elections in Palhalan Block.
Pertinently, last Friday two sarpanchs including a woman submitted their resignations in front of a mosque Imam there.
Various groups have been warning the village sarpanchs to resign or face consequences. Scores of them have already resigned their posts following the threats.
Monday’s attack came only two days after a special police officer (SPO) was killed and an army man wounded in a guerrilla shoot out in Sopore town, 15 km from Palhallan. Observer News Service
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