By Reyaz Ganai, NAK
Baramulla : Dozens of people were injured in Hygam area of Baramulla
district in South Kashmir on Friday when police resorted to baton
charges and fire tear-gas shells on hundreds of local residents, who
staged a protest demonstration for the second consecutive day today
against alleged molestation of a middle aged woman by the security
personnel.
Hundreds of local residents, including women, took to street for
the second consecutive day today against the alleged molestation of a
middle aged woman by the troops of 29 Rashtriya Rifles on Thursday.
Raising slogans against the government and security forces, the
protestors blocked Srinagar-Baramulla National Highway for hours
together resulting in the disruption of vehicular movement.
Ghulam Ahmed, one of the protestors, alleged that troops of 29 RR
entered into the field of Sanaullah Rather, where his wife Jana Begum
was working on Thursday. The troopers, he alleged, tried to molest
Jana, who raised an alarm.
Son of the woman, Mushtaq Ahmed, who was working in a nearby field
reached the spot and tried to rescue her mother. However, Mushtaq was
allegedly beaten to mouth by the troopers, who also torn off the cloth
of the woman.
The protestors were demanding registration of a case against the army personnel and their immediate arrest.
As villagers continued their protestors, police used baton charge
and fire several teargas shells to disperse the mob. More than two
dozen people received minor injuries in the ding dong battle, which
continued for more than half and hour.
Eyewitnesses told News Agency of Kashmir that a teargas shell hit
Tanveer Ahmed Mir resulting in his head injury. He was later shifted to
Srinagar for treatment.
Protestors returned back only when the senior police officers rushed
to the spot and assured that action under law would be taken against
guilty.
However, Senior Superintend of Police Vipul Kumar told News Agency
of Kashmir that the allegations leveled by the local residents are
baseless. He, however, added that police was investigation the matter
and in case the troopers were found guilty they will be booked under
law.