Municipal Office Set On Fire In Shopian

SRINAGAR:  A municipality office in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian district was set on fire by unidentified people days this evening – days after controversial local body elections held in the state. Most of the building was gutted, eyewitnesses said.The two major parties of the state – National Conference and the Peoples’ Democratic Party, had boycotted the elections, held amid threats from terrorist groups earlier this month.

The BJP had swept the polls, emerging victorious in four districts of south Kashmir by winning 53 of the 132 wards.

In Shopian, the party won 13 of the municipality’s 17 seats unopposed as both contestants and voters chose to stay away from the elections. No nominations were received for the four remaining seats, election officials had said.