BJP Sarpanch killed in Vessu, Kulgam

Srinagar: A BJP Sarpanch was shot dead Thursday by militants in Vessu village of Qazigund in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, officials said. They said that the militants fired indiscriminately at Sajad Ahmed Khanday from close range near his house at Vessu, leaving him critically wounded. “He was shifted to Government Medical College, Anantnag,”officials said.
Medical Superintendent GMC Anantnag, Muhammad Iqbal Sofi said Khanday was declared dead on his arrival to the hospital. “He had multiple bullet wounds on his chest,” Sofi said.
Today’s attack is the second in the last three days. Earlier on August 5, militants had fired at BJP Sarpanch Arif Ahmed, leaving him seriously injured. Arif is battling for life at SKIMS, Soura.
The attacks on sarpanchs affiliated to BJP, yesterday triggered a resignation by three BJP workers in Qazigund area of Kulgam. Today nearly a dozen BJP leaders and workers resigned from the party, sources said.
Earlier, on July 8, militants had killed BJP’s young face in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, Waseem Bari, his father and younger brother at their residence. The killing of Bari had forced top BJP leaders that include party General Secretary Ram Madhav, J&K affairs in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna and MoS in PMO Dr Jitendera Singh to visit Bandipora to offer their condolences.