Peerzada Ashiq
SRINAGAR, Sept 24: The fresh killing of a deputy sarpanch in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district on Sunday evening has once again triggered a fear psychosis among the grassroot representatives, with more than 40 panches and sarpanches mulling to resign soon.
At around 8pm on Sunday, deputy sarpanch Mohammad Shafi Teli, 37, a resident of Nowpora Jageer area, Kreeri, was stopped by unknown gunmen when he was on his way home.
“The gunmen were carrying pistol and Teli was shot at from a close range. At least two bullets were lodged in his body,” said Teli’s neighbour who reached the spot immediately after the incident.
This is the second such killing in the same district. Fourteen days ago, a sarpanch was killed in Baramulla’s Palhalan area. The killing was followed by resignation from 15 panches and sarpanches.
“We had a meeting at Baramulla town today and are planning to resign. We have not received any threat directly but the killing has left us fearful,” said Fayaz Ahmad, who was among at least 40 panches and sarpanches thinking of resigning.
More than 300 grass root representatives have resigned since last year in the wake of threats and killings.
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“We will issue notices through newspapers and distance ourselves from panchayats. There is no point continuing,” said Tahira Jan, a female panch from Baramulla district.
With eight sarpanches, panches and their supporters killed, chief minister Omar Abdullah said on Monday he will discuss providing security to these grass root representatives in the next united headquarters (UHQ) meeting, which is attended by all security agencies operation in the state.
“All efforts would be made to safeguard them and will provide conducive atmosphere to work for the good of people,” said Omar while expressing his grief and sympathy to the bereaved family.
Around 43,000 grassroot level representatives were elected in the 2011 polls, held after a gap of 30 years.
Kashmir has witnessed a series of threat letters and posters from militants groups to these public representatives this year.
However, hardline Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani condemned such attacks saying “no one should be killed for his ideology”.
Shahnawaz Sultan, sarpanch and president of the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Movement said, “We contested polls for development on a non-party basis. We have nothing to do with the Kashmir problem, which is there. No religion allows killing of unarmed innocent civilians.”
Meanwhile, the police seem to be clueless about those behind the attack. When contacted, DIG north Kashmir Rajesh Kumar dropped the call saying “he was busy in a meeting.”
(The author is principal correspondent, Hindustan Times)
