Attempts to damage four panchayat houses in two days

SRINAGAR: Since the J&K government announced dates for local body and panchayat polls, four attempts have been made in south Kashmir to set panchayat houses ablaze. The officials have now sought security and protection for the panchayat houses in sensitive areas of the Valley.

On Sunday, the dates for panchayat polls to be held in nine phase were announced by J&K’s chief electoral officer Shaleen Kabra.

The panchayat polls will begin from November 17, while the municipal elections will be held from October 8 to 20.

On Sunday evening, some unidentified persons tried to set a panchayat ghar at Seer Jagir village on fire. The windows of the house got damaged in the fire.

On Monday, attempts were made to set panchayat houses ablaze at Drabgam in Pulwama and Nagbal in Tral. While on Tuesday, some unknown men set fire to a panchayat house in Shopian, which was immediately doused by the police and men from fire and emergency services. Minor damages were caused to all these panchayat ghars.

In Kashmir, officials said there are 2,369 panchayat houses and for many of these houses were constructed on the land donated by the villagers.

Director rural development department Qazi Sarwar said three attempts were made to cause damages to the panchayat houses in south Kashmir. “In one, minor damage was caused to panchayat house and only one window was damaged in fire.” At many places, villagers who had donated the land for the panchayat houses used to guard these houses as they had been promised a job. Now we have taken up the issue with the concerned officials, he said.

Police said some miscreants at Nazneepora village on Tuesday evening tried to damage panchayat house by setting it on fire. “Police and fire service jawans doused the fire on time. A case has been registered.”

A senior official said though these panchayats are housed in concrete buildings, however, these incidents cause fear among the locals, especially ahead of polls. So far, no organisation has claimed the responsibility for these acts.