Srinagar, June 9: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has asked state security agencies to investigate the threats to elected members of Panchayats, Minister for Rural Development, Ali Muhammad Sagar said Saturday.
The development followed day after Greater Kashmir reported that over dozen Sarpanchs and Panchs resigned following the threats by militants. “Chief Minister has taken up the matter of threats by unknown elements to Panchayat members with the security agencies,” Sagar told a local news agency KNS.
Top sources told Greater Kashmir that a report compiled by the state police has confirmed that over 123 elected members, Panchs and Sarpanchs have resigned from February 1 till date.
“They include the Panchayat members who resigned due to delay by the government in devolution of powers besides Sarpanchs and Panchs who have resigned following the threats by militants,” sources said.
On Friday over a dozen Panchayat members including some women from Shopian and Anantnag (Islamabad) districts of south Kashmir had resigned and publicized their non-affiliation with mainstream political parties through local newspapers.
The development followed a warning by a militant outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) earlier this week to elected rural body members asking them to resign within a week's time.
The threats appeared on outfit’s posters pasted on the electricity poles, walls of mosques and shops in public places in different villages of Pulwama and Shopian districts in south Kashmir.
Even the State acting Police Chief, K Rajendra had held an emergency meeting on the issue in Islamabad on Thursday.
Talking to Greater Kashmir Friday he had said: “The very small number of militants present in the Valley want to make their presence felt. The elected members are the soft targets for them,” he said. “We are mapping these (vulnerable) areas and measures will be taken accordingly.”
However, Sagar today out-rightly rejected the resignation by Panchs and Sarpanchs, calling it a “handiwork of mischievous elements.”
“Reports of mass resignations are baseless and I condemn those people who are spreading such rumors. I am the concerned minister and I can tell you we have not received any resignation from any Panchayat member whatsoever”, he added.
However Sagar said Government has asked police to take necessary measures to find out truth behind the threats and ensure safety and security of Panchayat members. “There are some particular areas where some problems have been reported but the Chief Minister has asked the Director General of Police to look into the issues and take necessary measures”, Sagar said.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 9 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 9 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 10 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST