Shot woman sarpanch's family turns down security

Srinagar: Amidst growing demand for providing security to panchayat members in Jammu and Kashmir, the family of a woman panch injured in a shooting said they did not want security as that could invite more trouble. “We do not want security… that could lead to more trouble for the family. If we have (security) forces to guard our home, that could make them (suspected militants) target us again,” Mohammad Ramzan, husband of Zoona Begum, told PTI. [caption id=“attachment_586442” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  AP[/caption] Zoona was shot yesterday evening in the neck by suspected militants inside her house at Hardshiva Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, 52 kms from here. She is undergoing treatment at the intensive care unit of a hospital. This was the second attack in as many days on panchayat members in the state. Militants had earlier shot dead sarpanch Habibullah Mir in Sopore. Ramzan said the prime concern of the family was to save Zoona’s life and added they did not have any demands from the government “as such”. “Right now, all we are concerned about is her health. We want to save her first. She is in a critical condition. Her one eye is completely damaged. We do not seek anything from the government as such but if it can help us, it is welcome to and should come forward,” he said. In the wake of similar attacks last year, many panchs and sarpanchs had demanded security from the government. The fresh round of attacks has led to calls for security again. PTI