ANANTNAG: A panchayat member and an employee of the agriculture department were killed on Tuesday after militants attacked a ‘back to village’ programme in Anantnag. Two civilians were also wounded.
The slain were identified as Peer Rafiq and Sheikh Zahoor. Rafiq was a panch and also the block president of Congress in Larkipora area of Anantag district. Zahoor was an employee of government agriculture department.
A senior police official said that militants hurled a grenade in a public gathering during the programme around 3pm at Hakoora village of south Kashmir’s Anantnag.
“The militants hurled a grenade at the gathering and then opened indiscriminate fire leaving four people injured,” the official told Kashmir Reader.
He said the injured were evacuated to the district hospital where two of them succumbed to their injuries.
“Two more are being treated for their injuries at the hospital,” the police official said.
Following the attack, the government forces cordoned off the area and carried out searches to nab the assailants.
“They managed to escape. A case has been registered and investigation has been taken up,” he added.
This is first such attack on ‘back to village’ meeting where government officials alongside members of panchayats meet people in rural areas to listen to their grievances. The week-long programme began on Monday across Jammu and Kashmir. Earlier, the programme was held before the abrogation of Article 370 without any hassle.
The Anantnag attack has left government officials worried for their safety.
“We are being sent to villages as a part of this programme, but the attack has proved that there are no safety measures in place leaving us vulnerable,” a government official said on the condition of anonymity.
In Srinagar, an explosion took place in the market near Sir Syed gate of Kashmir University in Hazratbal area, an official said.
Three persons were injured in the explosion. All are stated to be stable, he said.
Preliminary investigation suggests that it was a low-intensity blast.
Further investigations are on, he added.

Suhail A Shah