By News Agency of Kashmir,
Jammu : Amidst several incidents of violence, tension prevailed across Jammu region as protestors clashed with the police, damaged over dozens of vehicles, pelted stones on Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) office and blocked Jammu-Pathankot and Jammu-Srinagar National Highways for hours together in protest against the state government’s decision of retaining of 800 kanals of transferred forest land.
Following the bandh call given by Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) and other Hindutva organizations, normal life was remained badly affected on Monday as all kinds of vehicles including private and personal vehicles remained off the roads and commercial and business establishment remained closed across the Jammu region.
The protestors burnt the effigies of Governor N N Vohra, former Chief Minister and PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Hurriyat Conference leader Sayeed Ali Shah Geelani and Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussian Beig.
The protestors were expressing resentment against the Kashmiri leadership for ‘politicizing’ the issue of transfer of land to SASB and Governor’s decision of ‘surrendering claim over the forest land.’ Reports said that Police had to resort to mild cane charge to disperse the furious mob as it pelted stones on the office of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Gandhi Nagar this morning.
Shouting slogans against Pakistan, Hurriyat Conference, Congress and PDP, thousands of protestors blocked both the Jammu Tawi Bridges and disrupted the traffic to observe complete ‘bandh’ in the Jammu region. Shops and business establishments remained closed and transport was off the road as ‘bandh’ supporters held protest marches in the entire city.
Besides saffron parties, other Jammu-based parties such as the Lok Jana Shakti, Panthers Party and Panun Kashmir, a Kasmiri Pandit party, have accused the government of bowing to the pressure from parties from the Valley and not keeping the sensibilities of Hindu minority in mind.
Police resorted to mild cane charge when activists of BJP, VHP and Shiv Sena tried to block the city roads and throwing stones on police.
Around fifty Sena activists tried to attack the office of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gandhi Nagar area. Police, however, foiled the attempt by resorting to mild lathicharge.
The activists later assembled at Satwari chowk, on the outskirts of the city, and held a strong protest demonstration. The protestors smashed wind screen of several vehicles and thrashed the drivers of some commercial vehicles.
Unofficial reports revealed that scores of people were injured in various clashes between protestors and Police across Jammu. “We have rounded up more than a dozen BJP activists for violating law and order problems”, a police officer said.
Reports from other parts of Jammu division said that complete shut down was observed in Udhampur, Katra, and Kathua. However other areas observed partial bandh.
Sources told News Agency of Kashmir that protesters at Udhampur tried to put vehicles on fire. They said that protestor’s ghearao a fleet of Kashmir bound goods vehicle at Udhampur and attempted to set them on fire. However, the attempt was foiled due to timely intervention of police.
About dozens of trucks were damaged in stone throwing incidents at Udhampur and Kathua, sources added.
Meanwhile, BJP and Shiv Sena will continue its protest across Jammu over the government decision. A spokesman of the BJP said that the strike will continue for three days after which next course of action would be taken.