Clashes erupt during land acquisition drive in Shopian

SHOPIAN — During a stone-pelting incident, an elderly man reportedly suffered cardiac arrest and died on-spot in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.

Eyewitnesses said some locals including females resorted to stone-pelting on a land acquisition team in Hermain village of south Kashmir’s Shopian district. They said that the team led by Tehsildar Hermain, Block Development Officer Hermain had arrived in the village to take possession of land that is supposed to be converted into a sports ground.

The locals pelted stones on them during which an elderly man suffered a heart attack and died on-spot. He was identified as 75-year-old Abdul Salam Thokar, a resident of Padderpora Shopian.

An official feigned ignorance about the incident, however, he confirmed that locals expressed resentment when authorities had gone to the village for possession of the land for sports ground.