SRINAGAR:
SRINAGAR: A BJP sarpanch along with one other person was arrested for brandishing his pistol at a patrolling team of security forces in Kulgam in south Kashmir on Wednesday evening. The duo was on a motorcycle bearing registration No PB-H-1118 and were coming from Khudwani when they were stopped by a joint patrol party of Army's 1 Rashtriya Rifles and the police.
Identified as Aqib Shafi Badder, he showed his pistol to the patrolling team when they signalled to stop him and tried to escape from the area, a police spokersperson said. "A pistol, two magzines and 12 rounds were recovered from the duo.
The other person was identified as Mohammed Amin Hajam, a resident of Anantnag. The security forces have registered an FIR under relevant sections of law against the duo.
BJP district president Kulgam Abid Hussain Khan confirmed with the New Indian Express that sarpanch Aqib Shafi had joined the party about five months back.“However, unfortunately we had no information that he had been a stone pelter, an FIR stands registered against him and he was an Over Ground worker of militants,” he said.
Khan said police did not inform the party that he was a stone pelter and had received pellets in his left eye during security forces action.