Villagers stage demonstration

The protestors assembled at the Press Enclave in the heart of the city and staged a demonstration.

Shouting slogans against the 'panches' and 'sarpanches', the demonstrators hailing from Jabla and Gharkote villages of Uri tehsil, 101 kms from here, demanded a probe into alleged high-handedness and corrupt practices of the elected ground level representatives of their villages.

"We have assembled here to highlight our grievances against the panches and sarpanches and to press for immediate action against them for their wrong doings," the protestors said.

Referring to the recent distribution of solar lights in their villages, the protestors alleged that the sarpanches charged them between Rs 1600 and Rs 2500 per solar light instead of Rs 750 approved by the government.

They also accused panches and sarpanches of embezzlement of funds meant for public under centrally sponsored NERGA and IAY schemes.