Unknown gunmen shot dead a former sarpanch of Kandizal village of south Kashmir’s Pampore area on Sunday. The slain villager was associated with ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and had completed his term two months ago.
Sources said that unknown assailants shot at 27-year-old sarpanch Fayaz Ahmad Bhat at his residence on Sunday morning. He was immediately shifted to sub-district hospital Pampore where he was declared dead on arrival.
Bhat had contested Parliament election in 2010 as an Independent. He later joined the National Conference but had recently switched over to the ruling BJP.
Yawar Masoodi, a young NC leader, confirmed that Fayaz was his associate during the 2014 Assembly elections but he later quit the party to join the BJP.
Meanwhile, the situation continued to be grim in Kashmir valley as normal life remained affected due to unabated shutdown called by separatist groups.
Reports of clashes between protesters and security forces continued in various parts of the Valley on the 86th day of unrest that began after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.
Around 40 civilians, including some women, sustained injuries following the clashes that erupted at several villages of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district after security forces raided the villages during night hours to arrest local youths for their alleged involvement in stone-pelting. Around 91 people, including two policemen, have died in violence in the Valley while thousands of others have been wounded.