A few days after the Election Commission announced dates for the by-polls in Srinagar and Anantnag Lok Sabha constituencies, a former sarpanch of Pulwama in south Kashmir was killed by suspected militants, in an apparent attempt to threaten citizens against going for voting.
Police said Fayaz Ahmad was kidnapped by a group of gunmen from his residence at Kakpora village in Pulwama district and later shot dead. There were also signs of torture on his body.
“He was abducted from his residence around 4 am and later shot dead on a mountain around 10 to 12 kilometers away,” said Superintendent of Police Muhammad Rayees Bhat in Pulwama.
Fayaz had renounced mainstream politics at the funeral of his militant nephew who was killed in an encounter in November last.
His killing has sparked off fears that militants might target political workers before the by-elections to be held on on April 9 and 12.
Srinagar seat fell vacant after former PDP MP Tariq Hamid Karra quit in protest against the civilian killings during the summer unrest of 2016. It comprises 15 assembly constituencies in Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal districts.
Anantnag constituency was earlier held by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti. She resigned as MP as she replaced her father Mufti Muhammad Sayyed as chief minister after his death in January last. She then contested from Anantnag assembly constituency to become eligible to continue as chief minister.
South Kashmir, which comprises Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam, was at the forefront of separatist agitation sparked off by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani and two of his associates on July 8, 2016 at Kokernag in Anantnag. More than 96 people were killed in the six-month long agitation and over 1000 others were blinded by pellets.
