Srinagar: A village head and a government official were killed and another person was injured as unknown assailants exploded a bomb at a village council in southern Anantnag district on Tuesday to target the government’s public outreach ‘Back to Village II’ (B2V2) campaign.
The week-long flagship programme, aimed at providing governance at the doorsteps of the rural populace and enlisting community participation across the Union Territory (UT) of J&K, began on Monday.
It is the government’s first major attempt to reach out the people at rural level after abrogation of Article 370 and splitting J&K up into two separate Union Territories (UTs) on August 5.
Another grenade attack carried out in a marketplace in Srinagar’s Hazratbal area earlier during the day left four persons injured.
As the blast took place less than ten yards away from Sir Syed Gate — the main (southern) entrance to University of Kashmir — it created panic among the students, faculty and other staff present on the campus. The police termed it a ‘low intensity’ blast.
The authorities blamed separatist militants for both these incidents. They said that a manhunt has been launched for those involved in carrying out attacks.
Giving the details, the police said that militants hurled a hand grenade towards a Panchayat ghar in Hakura, Badasgam village of Anantnag at 3. 30 pm to target about 80 people including government officials who had gathered within the premises in connection with the ‘B2V2’ programme.
They said sarpanch of the village 42-year-old Peer Muhammad Rafiq owing allegiance to Congress and assistant agricultural officer Zahoor Ahmed Sheikh were killed on the spot whereas another person was injured in the attack.
The police said that the assailants also opened fire before fleeing from the scene.
The authorities said that ‘B2V2’ programme will continue and Tuesday’s grenade attack in Anantnag should not stop the government from reaching out to the people particularly to handhold the Panchayats and to assist them wherever they face any impediments in using the funds devolved for development based on local priorities to further strengthen grassroots democracy and participatory development. “No doubt, it is a setback to the ‘B2V2’ effort but the agencies concerned will take care of the security of the officials,” said Sheetal Nanda, secretary Rural Development Depart-ment.
