By Sheikh Imran Bashir,Agence India Press,
Srinagar: Coinciding with US President Barack Obama’s visit to India, two incidents of uniformed gunmen descending on Sikh hamlets have taken place in the Kashmir, sending jitters among some members of the community.
Scores of people on Saturday staged demonstrations in Sikh dominated Hutmurah, a Sikh village, near Mattan in south Kashmir district Anantnag demanding identification and punishment for the Army men involved in ‘intimidating of the Sikhs in the area’ last night.
Hundreds of the Sikh community joined by the member of majority Muslim community early this morning took to streets in Hutmurah village and staged anti-Army demonstrations. Chanting slogans, the people were protesting against the alleged harassment of the Sikh community members by the troopers of Army’s 3 RR last night.
“We will not be bowed down by such cheap acts. We demand identification and punishment for the troopers responsible for the act,” President, Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee, Hutmurah, Sardar Niranjan Singh said while addressing a gathering.
Senior civil and police officials were present on the spot.
Reports reaches Agence India Press said that uniformed personnel, travelling in a civilian vehicle, last night knocked on the doors of residents of predominantly Sikh-inhabited Hutmura village, raising concerns among the minority community.
“Uniformed men appeared at on late Friday night and asked to come out from homes” locals told Agence India Press over phone.
However, police spokesman said there was a “misunderstanding” created by a patrol of security forces in Hutmura village which was later sorted out by the intervention of senior civil administration and police officials.
But defence spokesperson Lt Col J S Brar said, “No army unit was involved in the incident”.
Sikh community leaders said initially the men of the village fled to the fields but later raised an alarm to attract the attention of Muslim neighbours. The civilians then took on the gunmen, forcing them to flee the spot.
However, they managed to get hold of the driver of their vehicle, who was later handed over to police.
In March 2000, 35 Sikhs were massacred by unidentified gunmen, wearing uniform, in Chittisinghpora, in south Kashmir.
In north Kashmir’s Upalna village, Sikhs raised alarm in similar fashion after army men were spotted inside the Sikh-majority village, knocking at a door. “The army men visited the hamlet to find some mechanics. They knocked at the doors without knowing the context of their action,” said SSP Mansoor Untoo.
The police have decided to increase patrols in all minority villages in Kashmir region.
“We appeal the members of Sikh community to remain cautious and watchful. We need to ensure that Chittisinghpora is not repeated,” said moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. (AIP)