Sopore: A Sarpanch affiliated with Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) was arrested for allegedly raping a woman in Rafiabad area of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, officials said on Wednesday.
An official told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) said that Ali Mohammed Dar son of Abdul Ahad Dar, Sarpanch of Rawoocha village of Rafiabad was arrested for allegedly raping a woman.
“The Sarpanch was arrested following a complaint by a woman that she was raped by him,” he said.
The official said a case FIR No 26/2023 u/s 376, 506, 109 IPC has been registered at Police Station Dangiwacha and further investigation has been set into motion.
Notably, Dar was arrested for being a militant associate in 2017 but was released later. Meanwhile, JK BJP spokesman Altaf Thakur said that the arrested sarpanch wasn’t affiliated with the BJP. “He is not even our member. Media reports are totally false. Media outlets should cross check facts,” Thakur said—(KNO)