Last month, Hizbul chief operations commander Riyaz Ahmad Naikoo warned people to stay away from the polls or face consequences.
Miscreants backed by terrorists have gone on a rampage to torch panchayat ghars in the countryside to instill fear and enforce the poll boycott in Kashmir valley.
More than seven panchayat ghars — six in South Kashmir district of Pulwama and Shopian and one in Central Kashmir district of Budgam — have been torched since the election schedule was announced for Urban Local Bodies and Panchyat elections on Sunday.
Hizbul Mujahedeen has threatened to hurl acid at the candidates intending to participate in the polls. Last month, Hizbul chief operations commander Riyaz Ahmad Naikoo warned people to stay away from the polls or face consequences.
"There are attempts being made to torch panchayat ghars. Terrorists are using miscreants for arson. They always try to derail the election process since they do not want democracy to reach grass-roots level," Munir Ahmad Khan, Additional Director General of Police, Security, Law and Order, told DNA.
Khan said, in two-three cases of arson, the accused have been identified and they are on the run. "They will be arrested soon and action as per law will be taken against them. More measures will be taken to secure such places," he said.
There are 316 Blocks in 4490 Panchayat Halqas comprising of 35096 Panch Constituencies which will go to polls in nine phases from November 17 to December 11. Nearly 5812429 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the Panchayat polls.
Around 203 companies of the paramilitary forces have arrived in the valley to maintain peace and ensure free and fair elections scheduled to be held from next month. All the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) companies are being deployed for pre-election duties across the 10 districts of the valley.
Threatened
Hizbul Mujahedeen has threatened to hurl acid at the candidates intending to participate in the polls. warned people to stay away from the polls or face consequences.
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