Militants targeting Panchayat representatives as their masters do not want grassroots democracy to flourish in Jammu and Kashmir: IGP

Srinagar – Three local militants were killed in an overnight military operation in the Nowgam area on the outskirts of Srinagar city, police said on Wednesday.

Talking to reporters, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that acting on a specific lead about the presence of militants in the Nowgam area of Srinagar, police launched a cordon in the area late Tuesday night.

He said that in the ensuing military operation, three local militants were killed. They were part of The Resistance Front militant outfit. Two slain have been identified as Adil Teli and Saqib Tantray, both residents of Shopian while the identification of the third slain is being ascertained.

The IGP said that the trio was involved in the killing of Sarpanch Sameer Ahmed Bhat in Khonmoh. “This module was targeting Panchayat representatives as their masters don’t want grassroots democracy to flourish here,” the Kashmir police chief said.

He said police have busted all the modules involved in the killing of Sarpanchs. “We also busted the module involved in the killing of a CRPF man and a TA soldier in Budgam. Only once case was pending, that of Sarpanch Sameer, and with today’s encounter, that too stands solved,” he said, adding that adequate steps have been taken to ensure safe accommodations to Sarpanchs and Panchs in Kashmir—(KNO)