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Police use batons as protest over water scarcity at J&K’s Pattan turns violent
Violent protests erupted in north Kashmir’s Pattan due to water scarcity, resulting in clashes with police. Injuries reported, situation under control.
Violent protests erupted in north Kashmir’s Pattan on Friday after hundreds of people from Chenabal village took to streets to protest against the portable water scarcity, blocking Srinagar-Baramulla highway for a few hours.
The clashes erupted when police tried to clear the protesters from the highway, resorting to tear gas shelling and baton-charge as the protesters pelted stones and bricks on them. Public and private vehicles were damaged, while multiple people sustained injuries both sides.
An official of the Baramulla PCR said “Primary details say two policemen and two civilians were injured. The situation has been brought under control.”
Two Jammu and Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Party office bearers and their security officer were also caught in the clashes and their vehicle was attacked with stones.
BJP in a statement said the party’s media and social media in-charge Kashmir, Adv Sajid Yousuf Shah and Er Sahil Bashir Bhat were approached by unknown individuals, approximately 8-10 in number. They began pelting stones at the vehicle in which both leaders were travelling and the duo sustained head injuries, according to the statement.
A dream in the pipeline
Residents said that hundreds of villagers, including women, took to the streets from early morning over shortage of clean water from the past many months.
“We have been reeling under an intense water crisis for the past many months but nobody cares. Many times we talked to the concerned officials but our calls were ignored. In this holy month of Muharram, we don’t have water to drink or even perform our religious rituals,” said a protestor.
As the issue escalated, police and administrative officials, including Baramulla deputy commissioner Minga Sherpa and SSP Amod Nagpure rushed to the scene. Nagpure used a public address system to dissuade the youth from pelting stones and assured them of raising their demand.
“I assure you that no action will be taken against any youth. No one will be arrested. But please stop stone pelting. It causes damage to everyone. Listen to your village head and elders,” Nagpure said. “This issue can be solved through talks. Water scarcity is a genuine concern; neither you nor I can live without water. Your demand is genuine and we will raise this,” he added.
Later, the traffic was restored after the situation was brought under control.
Deputy commissioner Minga Sherpa acknowledged the deficiency of portable water in the area and said that a water supply scheme (WSS) was under construction. “Historically, Chenabal, Pattan has had a water deficit. The village is on the tail end and faces water supply issues. Overall there is also a deficit of water availability- for the past two years,” he said.
He added that the J&K government’s biggest Jal Jeewan Mission scheme - WSS Parihaspora – was being constructed at a cost of ₹7 crore, to solve the deficit of water in these areas. “The PHE department is trying to complete the scheme as soon as possible. 75% work has been completed and we hope within the next 6-7 months this will be done. Meanwhile, we will try to solve the water deficit in Chenabal as well as other areas by supplying water tankers or diverting water from some other areas,” he said.
We will also investigate how the issue escalated and will look into police response to people’s protest, he added.
Meanwhile, the issue also escalated politically with some leaders questioning the response of police while some castigated the violence by the protesters.
People’s Conference chairperson Sajad Gani Lone write on social networking site ‘X’, “What on earth is happening in Chenabal, Pattan. People are simply registering their protest against scarcity of water. And what is the response of the JK Police. It is as if they are at an encounter site. Can you please start listening to people and render a ‘supreme sacrifice’ of treating humans as humans.”
Former president of Baramulla municipal council Touseef Raina also blamed police for mishandling. “It was very unfortunate that the local police mishandled the situation at Chenabal. I was there, listening to the protesters, and they were ready to let the traffic go without the need for police force. I appeal to the DGP to hold the concerned local police accountable for mishandling the situation,” he said.
However, former mayor Junaid Mattoo said he was one of thousands caught in protest/stone pelting on national highway at Chenabal, Pattan. “Civilians were beaten up by stone pelters, cars damaged and bricks pelted at security forces and police personnel,” he said. “There should be zero tolerance for lawlessness and violence. Let’s call a spade a spade and not justify murderous anarchy,” he added.
