The Sikh youth was killed in Tral area of South Kashmir. (Photo: PTI)

Following the killing of a Sikh youth by unknown gunmen in Tral, 30 panch and sarpanch have resigned in the Pulwama district of South Kashmir.

The slain youth, who was identified as Simranjeet Singh, was the brother of a newly elected sarpanch.

According to All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC), "About 30 in number, all Sikhs who recently won panch and sarpanch elections in South Kashmir, have resigned en-masse in view of security concerns, following the killing of a Sikh youth in Tral area of South Kashmir."

The APSCC said that some people with vested interests were trying to harm the centuries-old communal harmony in the Valley.

However, the authorities have not accepted their resignations yet.

In the last panchayat election that was held in 2011, more than two dozen elected panchayat members were killed by militants following which at least 148 panchayat members resigned.

Approximately 25,000 panch and sarpanch have been elected in the recent panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir, held in the end of 2018.

"It is now the responsibility of the government to provide us security as millitant outfits have already threatened those who participated in the panchayat polls," an elected panch, on condition of anonymity, said.