J&K: 3 killings & 10 resignations

The killing of three councillors marred the successful civic polls in Jammu and Kashmir, held after a gap of 27 years in the state.

The fallout from the killings manifested itself on Friday when ten newly elected members made public announcements of their resignation from civic bodies. They also decided to shed their party affiliations.

J&K: One more councillor killed | NC sweeps Srinagar civic polls

Meanwhile, National Conference civic members also threatened to resign en masse from Srinagar Municipal Corporation if they were not provided individual protection.

A senior police officer said the civic members were afraid for their lives with Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed refusing individual security to the elected members.

Seven councillors -- a few independents and the rest Peoples Democratic Party members -- in Beerwa in central Budgam district, announced their decision in a local daily.

They sought the people's "forgiveness for having participated in the recent civic polls."

Two other PDP members also sought 'public pardon' in Anantnag town on Friday while announcing their decision to quit.

The two councillors stood up suddenly while the Imam was reading out his weekly Friday sermon and requested they be heard before the assembly dispersed.

"We seek your forgiveness in the name of Allah and we dissociate from the polls. We have quit our seats and resigned from the party. We now have nothing to do with the civic bodies," the two elected counselors, Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat and Ghulam Mohi-Ud-Din, said.

On the same day, the National Conference, which won the majority of seats in the 68-member Srinagar Municipal Corporation, threatened mass resignation if its members were not provided individual security.

NC chief Omar Abdullah told a press conference, "Our party will wait for a few days before taking a decision. We are seeking security for all the elected members. It is only a few days after the elections and see what is happening."

The killing of NC councillor Mohammad Maqbool Shah, who was tipped to be the city mayor, on Wednesday appears to have sparked panic in his party and among other elected members in different towns of the Valley.