Srinagar’s Deputy Mayor attacked, injured in council meeting

Deputy Mayor, Srinagar Municipal corporation (SMC), Sheikh Imran injured after he was assaulted by a councillor during a meeting in Srinagar

Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Deputy Mayor Sheikh Imran was injured after corporators attacked him during an ongoing corporation session in Srinagar on Monday.

Mr. Imran said he fell down after a heavy object was flung at him “by BJP and RSS-backed councillors during the meeting”.

“I have been consistently opposing BJP’s footprints here and won’t tolerate any interference in our religious identity. As I was comforting myself on the seat during the meeting, BJP and RSS-backed councillors flung an object at me, resulting in multiple stitches on the face. It was a planned attack,” said Mr. Imran.

Mr. Imran appealed to Governor Satya Pal Malik and the Chief Secretary to look into the matter.

However, a section of corporators accused Mr. Imran of “making their lives vulnerable in Kashmir by labelling them as pro-BJP”. “Mr. Imran, and not us, is in touch with top BJP leaders of the State. We contested the elections as independents,” they alleged.

Meanwhile, Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu said the house was in complete order and the handful who created a ruckus were evicted. “If there was any violence, there will be consequences as per the law,” he said.

The proceedings of the council was adjourned after the incident. The police have taken cognisance of the incident.

Srinagar elected 76 municipal corporators in a much-delayed elections held in October last year. The elections witnessed very low turnout as both the National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party decided to stay away from the polls.