SRINAGAR: A woman panch has been seriously wounded after unidentified gunmen shot at her in north Kashmir’s Sopore town, police say, the second such attack on elected grassroots representatives in the same town in two days.
They say Zoona Begum, 45, was at her home in Hardshiva village when she was attacked.
Her condition is stated to be critical and is being brought to capital Srinagar for treatment.
This is the second attack on elected Sarpanchs and Panchs this year and in less than 72 hours, sparking fresh fears about their security, some Panchs even wanting the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah to resign for “having failed to protect them”.
Yesterday, 70-year-old Habibullah Mir, a Sarpanch died after he was shot in the neck at his home in Gooripora, Sopore.
The shootings have happened just weeks after the National Human Rights Commission issued notices to the federal and state governments over security concerns of these representatives.
Police suspect separatist militants of having carried out the attacks. But they insisted they will say something with certainty only after investigations are complete.
No militant group has claimed responsibility for the attacks.
