The body of a sarpanch, who was kidnapped by suspected militants in Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, was found this morning.Police sources say multiple gunmen barged into the house of 62-year-old Ghulam Mohammad Mir in Tarazoo village last evening and kidnapped him.“There were 7 or 8 people in our backyard. There were perhaps more outside too. All of them were armed and wearing khaki-coloured uniforms. One man said, ‘we are your kin, don’t be afraid. An officer wants to meet him. He will be back soon and we will leave him till the gate.’ My elder sister protested and one man pushed her away and took my father away.
We don’t know what happened after that,” said the daughter of the sarpanch or village head.Police and security forces had launched a manhunt soon after the family of the sarpanch lodged a complaint, but could not track down the kidnappers.Security agencies believe Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen militants operating in the area, may be responsible.The kidnapping came three days after Assembly elections were held in Sopore as part of the third phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir. Sopore saw a turnout of 30 per cent, 10 per cent higher than the 2008 assembly elections.