STF personnel attacking media houses: SIMITI
Police advises people not to send their children for courting arrests
By News Agency of Kashmir,
Jammu : About two lakh people, including women, came out of their homes and marched towards police stations courted arrests demanding in protest against government decision and demand restoration of land to the Amarnath shrine board on second consecutive day today.
Sources said that thousands of people including women came out of their homes and held demonstrations outside police stations across Jammu city and other district headquarters chanting slogans “bum bum bolay”.
The situation through out the day remained calm but in the evening the people who were on way back to their home turned violent when some rumor about the participation of National Conference Patron Dr Farooq Abdullah in an official function organized by Information Department spread.
Protesters who disrupt an official cultural function organized by the administration at Abhinav Theater alleging that Jammu, which was called off later.
About two thousand protesters pelted stones on police at Canal road out side the cultural academy, triggering clashes which continued till late night. About eleven persons including a police officer and a RAF Jawan were injured.
Police use tear gas shells to disperse the mob which the protesters were countering with petrol bombs and stones.
Sources quoting eye witnesses told News Agency of Kashmir that the situation took ugly turn when protesters held demonstrations out-side the main gate. They were stopped by the heavy contingent of police and RAF personnel from entering the premises.
The ding-dong battles continued for hours together leaving eleven persons including a police officer and a RAF Jawan injured. However the situation was brought under control after army took over the possession.
It is pertinent to mention Army deployment was taken off the roads after the relaxation in curfew yesterday.
Reports from all big and small towns of other districts said that people in large numbers came out to courted arrests out side police stations which baring few incidents remain peaceful.
Curfew was relaxed in Jammu city for 15 hours from 5 am, while it was eased for nine hours in Samba. In Udhampur, authorities relaxed curfew for 17 hours from 5 am while in Kishtwar, it was eased for three hours from 7 am.
Reports tonight said that clashes between police and protesters were reported from various places including New Plot area of the city.
Meanwhile, Police allege that the Protesters today disrupted the National function organized by the Government at Abhinav Theatre.
“The function has been organized in connection with celebration of 62nd Independence Day. Such practice of celebration has been in vogue since decades” the statement said adding this is for the first time in the history of Jammu since Independence that miscreants obstructed the National Celebration.
The programme cut short to nearly 45 minutes duration in which local artists, school children, Information department and Academy of Culture and Arts presented colorful items depicting patriotism and cultural ethos of the state.
The miscreants targeted the security personnel deployed on duty in which six personnel of Rapid Action Force and four of J&K Police sustained serious injuries including SDPO West R.K.Chalotra.
The Government has requested /advised the people in general and agitation leaders in particular not to allow their children for the court arrest tomorrow as has been announced by the Samiti.
“It has clarified that arrest of children is prohibited under law and appealed the people in the interest and safety of their wards that they should not send their children for court arrest” the statement added.
Amarnath Sangarsh Simiti claimed that on the second of the Jail Bharo Andolan, more than 3.5 lakh people majority of them offered themselves for court arrest in all the ten districts of Jammu province.
In a statement issued here this evening the Simiti claimed that in Jammu city more than 1.3 lakh people courted arrested in 14 police stations followed by 60000 in Jammu rural in 11 police stations. In Kathua more than 50,000 people courted arrested at 13 places. Reports from Udhampur, Reasi and Ramban districts more than 70000 people participated in Jail Bharo Andolan.
“Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti today strongly condemned behaviour of Governor N N Vohra on whose directions the State Government has provided VIP treatment to the pro-Pakistan Hurriyat Conference and other separatist groups in their march towards office of the Military Observer of the United Nation at Kashmir” the statement added.
The statement issued further said that Hurriyat leaders, who have been demanding secession from the country, were not only provided VIP treatment by State Government on the directions of Governor N N Vohra but also facilitated their meeting with the UNO observer. It is shocking that with the support of State Government delegation of the Hurriyat Conference submitted a memorandum in which secession from India was demanded. We have authentic information that controversial memorandum which was submitted to the UNO was drafted by a Top Bureaucrat of Jammu and Kashmir Government.
“Involvement of the Government in the controversial UNO march was clear from the presence of large number of government employees in the procession. Furthermore many government departments render their services during the procession” Sangharsh Simiti alleged and said N N Vohra, Governor of Jammu and Kashmir has been providing all facilities to the Hurriyat leaders in their anti-India campaign at the behest of United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime headed Dr Manmohan Singh. N N Vohra has been appointed as Governor of Jammu and Kashmir after succumbing before the pressure of PDP and other secessionists groups. Sangharsh Samiti reiterates peace cannot be restored in Jammu and Kashmir as long as N N Vohra is at the helm of the affairs.
Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti also took strong exception of reports of attack on a media house at Shastri Nagar. Samiti has authentic information that State Government has assigned the job of attacking media houses to the Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police. SOG men in civics have been attacking media persons to create confusion. Samiti has appealed to its workers to single out those who have been indulging in such activities to subvert the on-going agitation.
Meanwhile a youth namely Jatinder Kumar son of Dev Raj of village Langarai, R S Pura attempted to make supreme sacrifice for the restoration of land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. The Sangharsh Samiti appeals to all activists not to take any such extreme step and reassures that we shall soon be able to achieve our goal.