Srinagar, January 13
Twenty-two sarpanches and panches from north Kashmir area of Sopore belonging to three panchayat blocks resigned today following militant attacks on a sarpanch and a woman panch from the same area in the past few days.

The 22 panchayat representatives include two sarpanches - Manzoor Ahmad Rather and Bashir Ahmad Lone - and 20 panchs from the panchayat blocks of Shiva-A, Shiva-B and Yemberzalwari in Sopore town.

Panchayat representatives told The Tribune that they cannot live under the fear of being attacked anytime and they can’t risk lives of their family members. They have urged the state government to dissolve all panchayat bodies immediately.