Allegation: ‘Corporator abducted, forced to record scripted statement’

SRINAGAR — Srinagar people fail to understand whether they should laugh or weep after they listen to the ‘achievements’ of Corporators of Srinagar Municipal Corporation.

There was near-total boycott of the polls that were held after a gap of 13 years in 2018, to reconstitute Municipal bodies and all the Corporators who made it even didn’t secure 2% votes. The four-phased elections had seen just single-digit voter turnout.

These Corporators right from the day one were divided into two groups – one supporting Junaid Azim Mattu and the other favouring Sheikh Imran. Hurling abuses, humiliating one another, leveling allegations on one another is a common feature introduced by these Corporators in the Corporation.

In fact, SMC senior officers view these Corporators as major stumbling block in development but are not openly saying out of fear of reprisal.

These Corporators were no doubt elected with the blessing of the establishment, while having little respect in the eyes of common voters. From the very beginning, the entire election process was a secretive affair. While names of contesting candidates were never made public, there was no campaigning at all. Even the location of the polling booths remained a mystery till the last minute.

Despite this, people hoped these Corporators will work for them but they always remained busy in matters concerning them. This time, a Corporator from Pantha Chowk, Lateef Ahmed Mir leveled serious allegations on Sheikh Imran, Waheed Dar, Ashraf Palapori and others.

Mir said that he is an open supporter of outgoing Mayor Junaid Mattu and this thing is annoying his adversaries. “Ashraf Palapori, the Corporator who supported Sheikh Imran in the floor test visited my office and invited me for a cup of coffee. We talked in friendly manner but in his Creta vehicle, he brandished a revolver and threatened me of dire consequence and took me straight to Nishat. Palapori has a licensed revolver but he showed me a different one. As I entered into the house on gun point, I was sarcastically greeted by former Deputy Mayor Sheikh Imran.”

“Waheed Dar was accompanying Sheikh Imran and both threatened me of dire consequences. A camera man appeared. I was given a script and directed to read it in front of camera. In order to save my life, I agreed. I was forced to talk about alleged corruption, alleged illegal constructions in Srinagar. I was so lost that I failed to understand what was written in the script and what I was telling,” Mir said.

“After capturing my video, Sheikh Imran, Waheed Dar and Ashraf Palapori allowed me to go. I somehow managed to reach my house at around 11:45 on Saturday night. I called Junaid Mattu and my well wishers. I approached police station Pantha Chowk where officials asked me to lodge a complaint at police station Shaheed Ganj. At Police Station Shaheed Ganj, I registered a complaint and a formal FIR stands registered against Sheikh Imran, Waheed Dar, Ashraf Palapori and others,” he said.

Lateef Mir requested police to probe the incident and book the culprits.