Kashmir panchayat poll candidate Hasina Begum killed

Hasina Begum, a panchayat elections candidate in Chrar-e-Sharief area of Budgam district in Jammu and Kashmir was shot dead by militants, officials said on Saturday.

The forty-three year-old candidate, contesting for the Apr 21 polling, was killed at Karpora in Pakherpora area of Chrar-e-Sharief on Friday night.

Even though the 16-phase polls which began on Apr 13, are being held on non-partisan basis, Begum was affiliated to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), media reports said.