Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 26: Militants shot and severely injured a Sarpanch at village Krankshvan, Sopore in North Kashmir district of Baramulla this afternoon.
Police said Sarpanch Khazir Mohammad Parray, 45, resident of village Krankshvan, Sopore was fired upon by militants when he was coming out from the local Masjid after offering Friday prayers.
Parray was shifted to the Srinagar’s SMHS hospital for treatment. He has got severe injury in his mouth.
A local resident Mushtaq Ahmad said that Parray came out of the Masjid after offering Friday prayers. “As soon as he came out of the Majid, militants were waiting for him outside and he was shot dead”, he added.
“We heard some fire shots and we peeped out of window of the Masjid and saw him in pool of blood. Few youth came out of the Masjid and took him to hospital”, Ahmad said.
Sources said that militants came on a mortar cycle and one of them fired at the Sarpanch while another was waiting on the motorcycle. “The duo fled after carrying out the attack, sources added.
Police said that they along with security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a man hunt for the militants responsible for the attack.
Sources said that 52 Rashtriya Rifles of Kilo Force of Army, 179 and 177 battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jammu and Kashmir Police Sopore area conducting searches of the village. The cordon and search operation was on till late evening.
Sopore police have registered a case in this regard and the investigation has been started.
The attack on Panchayat members in Sopore area comes after three months. Last time militants shot at Sarpanch of village Bomai in April 28.
Earlier a Sarpanch of the village and Congress worker Habibullah Mir was shot dead by militants in Bombai Sopore in January this year. His killing led to wave of resignations by Panchs and Sarpanchs in area.
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