Srinagar, June 26: A Sarpanch was allegedly stripped in a Police Station in south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Saturday.
 Khursheed Ahmad Mir, who was elected as Sarpanch from Khudpora Gundihad in Shopian recently, told Greater Kashmir that he was not feeling well and visited the sub-district hospital Shopian for medical check-up. “I stood in the queue for over an hour and requested a doctor for urgent consultation. Ironically, he refused asking me to leave his chamber. I tore my consultation ticket on which he abused me. He telephoned the concerned Station House Officer and asked him to arrest me,” Mir said.
 He said that a police party from Police Station Shopian reached the spot and detained him. “In the lock-up, policemen stripped me and then locked me in a room along with other detainees in the same condition,” Mir said.
 The Sarpanch said he was let off only after the intervention of a local National Conference leader. 
 Meanwhile, a group of nine Sarpanchs have condemned Mir’s “harassment.” “They treated him like a criminal. We will resign if Government doesn’t take action against the accused policemen and the doctor who harassed our colleague,” they said. 
 Police not only downplayed the issue but gave contradictory statements. 
 The Assistant Sub inspector of Shopian Police Station Gafoor Ahmad admitted that Mir was detained in the lock-up on June 25.
 “He had argument with a doctor. We released him around 4 pm,” he said. However, SHO Police Station Shopian Javeed Ahmad refused to comment on the matter. 
 The Superintendent of Police Shopian, Mumtaz Ahmad said, “No Sarpanch was arrested.”

Lastupdate on : Sun, 26 Jun 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 26 Jun 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 27 Jun 2011 00:00:00 IST