Bandipora: An issue over streetlights turned into a scuffle between two groups of Panchayat members in Bandipora district’s Nesbal village resulting in injuries to at least four persons including a Sarpanch.
According to eyewitnesses, two groups of Panchayat members were attending a Gram Sabha in the Tengpora area of Nesbal in the Sumbal division when one of the group members raised objections over the installation of streetlights.
The objections turned into a war of words and later into a full-blown scuffle wherein the Panchayat members as well as civilians threw chairs at each other.
A Sarpanch and three others were injured and were rushed to a Sumbal hospital for treatment.
The Sarpanch identified as Rather Mehraj was shifted to SMHS Hospital in Srinagar due to an injury in the head, his friend Khursheed Ahmad said.
“Rather has a head injury that he received when a chair was thrown at him. He vomited and is presently being treated at SMHS,” he said. “Thankfully, he is stable and all test reports are satisfactory. However, he is being administered concentrated intravenous injection.”
Ahmad said that the fight broke out when one of the Panchayat members made a bid towards Rather alleging him of not installing all streetlights provided for the village.
“Rather tried to inform him that he was ill-informed same but the matter escalated into a fight when others joined. The PSOs also didn’t try to intervene,” he said.
Ahmad said that they had registered a complaint about the issue with the Police.
Sources said that Police Station Sumbal filed a case against both groups.