By News Agency of Kashmir
Jammu: Four persons including Deputy Commission and a Sub Inspector of Jammu and Kashmir police were injured as protestors clashed with police in border district of Poonch, where fresh communal tension has mounted over the alleged stone pelting by some miscreants on the local Jamia Masjid during Friday prayers.
Reports reaching here revealed people came on roads in protest against the alleged stone pelting by some unidentified persons on the mosque soon after the Friday prayers started today.
Shouting slogans against the government, the protestors reportedly clashed with the members of other community and also partially damage at least three shops in the main town, sources said.
Quoting eyewitnesses sources told News Agency of Kashmir that people came out of the Jamia Masjid soon after the Friday prayer raising slogans against the police and local administration. Though it was claimed that some unidentified persons pelted stones on the Masjid during the prayers, police said that it was rumour spread by some vested interests.
The protestors blocked the vehicular movement in the main Poonch town and staged a sit in near Preetam Park. The protestors were demanding immediate arrest of the trouble makers.
As the officials were pacifying the protestors, some one from the mob pelted stone at the DC Jaweer Singh Pachnanda.
Police and para-military personnel rushed to the spot and tried to disperse the mob, the protestors went berserk and pelted stones on the nearby shops.
“At least three shops were partially damaged in the stone pelting”, sources said adding, and police used baton charge and fired several rounds in air to control the situation.
It was alleged that the members of other community also jumped in and retaliated with stones and bricks.
Four persons including DC Poonch Jaweer Singh Pachnanda and a SI Maqsood Khan were injured in the dingdong battle, which followed the protest demonstration, sources said adding,
Sources said that taking control over the situation CRPF and police later chased away the protestors.
A heavy blanket of police and CRPF was thrown in and around the town to avert any further clash. The local administration was also consulting the senior citizens of the town to diffuse the tension. Assistant Commissioner Revenue Shahnawaz Mirza and ASP Tahir Bhat later held a meeting of the prominent citizens and assured the trouble makers would be arrested within one week.