Curfew in Jammu city after protests over Pulwama attack
Gujjar Nagar area of Jammu city witnessed violent protests in the wake of Pulwama terror attack.
A day after terror attack in South Kashmir’s Pulwama, curfew was clamped Friday afternoon in Jammu city following incidents of violence. Police said an angry mob torched several vehicles after stones were pelted on protestors, who were raising slogans in the densely populated area of the city, the police said.
An order of the District Magistrate said the decision was taken “In view of prevailing law and order” situation in Jammu district. “There is every likelihood of breach of peace, which may lead to acts of arson, targeting vehicles and causing loss of life and property... ”, the order read..
“Three youth were injured in the stone pelting and then the protesters went berserk and damaged around 30 vehicles. Consequently, police fired smoke shells to control the situation. Later, some people from a particular community pelted stones at MES headquarters but the police parties reached in time and again fired teargas shells to disperse them,” said a police source.
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A local resident said, “The mob set ablaze around 30 vehicles and damaged scores of other vehicles in the area. Consequently, there was a stone pelting in the area. While protestors shouted slogans of ‘Pakistan Murdabad’ and ‘Hindustan Zindabad’, stone-pelters in the locality from other end shouted slogans ‘Naar-e-Taqbir Allah-Hu-Akbar’.
He informed that sensing trouble policemen resorted to tear-gas and lathicharge to disperse the protestors and avoid a clash between the two groups. “The protesters also smashed windowpanes of some houses,” he added.
Additional reinforcement of cops was being sent to the area to quell violent protests. Early on Friday morning, massive anti-Pakistan protests rocked the winter capital, in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack in which 44 Central Reserve Police Force jawans are feared to have been killed. The CRPF has confirmed death of 38 personnel, who were part of the convoy that came under attack on the Jammu-Srinagar highway.
People under the banner of various social, political and trade bodies took out protest rallies in Jewel Chowk, Purani Mandi, Kunwani, Rehari, Janipur, Gandhi Nagar, Bakshi Nagar, Muthi, Talab Tilloo and Satwari areas of the capital city and protested against the killings.
Raising anti-Pakistan, anti-terrorist slogans, the protestors demanded action against Pakistan for “sponsoring terrorism in the Valley.” Members of the Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena and the Dogra Front were seen protesting in large numbers.
Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association in an emergent decision suspended work in all the courts in Jammu, including the high court and the tribunals to protest “the dastardly acts of frustrated terrorists” in Pulwama, a Bar spokesman said.
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (Jammu and Kashmir) strongly condemned the terror attack. Senior office bearers of VHP, including Leela Karan Sharma, held an emergency meeting here and paid tribute to the killed jawans. In solidarity with security forces, they announced a bandh in Jammu on Friday, a VHP spokesman said.
The VHP has appealed to the central and state governments to allow the security forces to retaliate with a free hand. Kashmiri Pandit organisations, including Panun Kashmir, All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC), All India Kashmiri Samaj (AIKS) and All Parties Migrant Coordination Committee (APMCC) have also condemned the cowardly attack.
Violence was also reported from the border town of Poonch where a rally of protesters was passing through Alla Pir locality in the town when some mischievous elements pelted stones at them.