Sarpanch killed during Panchayat poll campaign in Punjab

Gurdaspur, May 22 (UNI) The sarpanch of Matwa village in the district was killed by a group of Congress supporters while campaigning for his wife late last night in the Gram Panchayat elections scheduled to be held on May 26.

Police reports today said that five Congress supporters led by Harpal Singh attacked sarpanch Jaspal Singh while he was campaigning for his wife, Kuljit Kaur in the elections. The sarpanch did not stand for the elections as the post of sarpanch had been reserved for women in the general category.

According to the police, sharp edged weapons and bricks were used in the attack. Harpal Singh was seriously injured and rushed to the civil hospital here from where he was refered to the Medical College hospital at Amritsar.

The sarpanch, a supporter of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) died in hospital today.

The police has registered a murder case against Harpal Singh and his supporters---Varpal Singh, Maluka, Sukhdev Singh, Gurdev Singh and Piara Singh.No arrests had been made so far.

UNI XC-HS LS ND1710