3 SRTC vehicles damaged, NDTV office ransacked
Traffic booth set on fire, PDP office attacked
By News Agency of Kashmir,
Jammu : With no signs of abating in protests over Amarnath land transfer row, over 1.5 lakh protestors including women today courted arrest in Jammu region under the umbrella of Shri Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti (SAYSS)-a conglomerate of over 40 organizations spearheading agitation in demanding restoration of land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).
However, the agitated mob went on rampage at Dogra Chowk and completely damaged three buses of Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport. The protestors also set on fire traffic police booth here. “Three SRTC busses (JK02Y-0270, JK01Y-0256, JK0Y-0308) were completely damaged and a police booth of Traffic police was set on fire,” sources quoting eyewitness told News Agency of Kashmir adding the protesters turned violent when police refuses to court arrest all of them.
“Angered over the inadequate supply of water at M A Stadium, the protestors went on rampage and damaged the window panes of three SRTC buses and set on fire a traffic police booth at Dogra Chowk. The protestors also damaged the names plates at Tawi bridges and disrupted normal vehicular movement here for over one and half an hour,” maintained sources.
“The protestors also ransacked the Jammu office of the NDTV after the TV news channel was labelled partisan by the Shri Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti. Slogan-shouting mob entered the office in the residential area of Shastri Nagar and smashed the window panes and challenged those working for the channel to come out. The protestors also attacked Jammu office of Peoples Democratic Party and pelted stones,” maintained sources.
Reports from Udhampur said that over half a dozen protestors received injuries in a clash with police personnel. “Police resorted to cane charge and teargas shells to disperse the mob when the protestors attempted to enter into police station Udhampur,” maintained sources, adding that over 25,000 protestors courted arrest in support to the call given by the Sangharsh Samiti.
However, reports from various places of Jammu city and its outskirts revealed that thousands of people took to streets under the banner of SAYSS and staged protest demonstrations as the three days “Jail Bharo Andolan” commenced today. Shouting slogans in favour of against the Governor, protestors marched towards various police stations so as to court arrest.
“The protestors entered into police station Pacca Danga and shouted slogans like ‘Bham Bham Bholey’, ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai” sources said, adding that thousands of protestors who courted arrest were shifted to M A Stadium where they also damaged some stands of the Stadium. Besides male members, women will court arrest on tomorrow, followed by children on Wednesday.
Reports said that the Convener of the Samiti Leela Karan Sharma, who led the first group of protestors, was courted arrest at Rehari crossing, while other leaders led in other areas like Bakshi Nagar, Parade Ground, City Chowk, Satwari and Pacca Danga in courting arrest. “Nearly 20,000 to 22,000 protestors courted arrest at Rehari who were shifted to Government Middle School Rehari which was converted into temporary jail,” said sources.
Chanting slogans in favour of the demand and against the government, the people peacefully assembled at their respective places and staged March towards the respective police stations. Though heavy contingent of police and para-military personnel were present across the city, sources said that they were asked to observe maximum restraint.
The activists were taken in government and private buses to various schools and colleges, which were converted into temporary jails by the authorities so as to adjust the large number of people offering court arrest. Hundreds of people assembled at Satwari assembled and storm Gandhi Nagar police station where from they were taken to M A Stadium and ‘lodged there.
Reports of agitators courting arrest also poured in from Kathua, Samba and Reasi districts. “Thousands of protestors courted arrest at tehsil and block levels in Kathua, Samba and Reasi districts. However, the situation remained peaceful in all these areas and no untoward incidents were reported.
The exact figure of those court arrested was not know as the administration could not provide the exact number of the people taken to MAM stadium.
Convenor SAYSS Leela Karan Sharma condemned the attack on television channels by the agitating mob, He maintained, “Media is positively playing its role in presenting facts to the people but everyone has restrictions in covering certain events.
The protestors should not have pelted stones and shattered the window panes of two media offices, which is condemnable.”
Meanwhile, Police claimed that some activists of Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (SAYSS) incited by their leaders today attacked the office of NDTV here at Shastri Nagar.
“They vandalized the office of the TV causing extensive damage to the property of the office”, the police spokesman said.
“Police have taken the cognizance of the incident and an FIR has been lodged in this regard. Police said all the miscreants have been identified”, He added.
The handout issued by police said that Samiti Activist also damaged three buses of State Road Transport Corporation (SRTC) at Jewel and broke the office of MAM Stadium, adding “They also attacked the office of People Democratic Party (PDP)”.
However, NDTV denies that there was extensive damage to the property of its office, “only few window panes that were shattered by some unidentified miscreants and the reports of our office being vandalized are not true” an NDTV official in a mailed statement told News Agency of Kashmir.