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75 people injured in Jammu violence

Luv Puri

Protests against decision to revoke order on transfer of land to Amarnath Board

— Photo: PTI

RAGING ISSUE: The stretch near the Jammu market wears a deserted look on Tuesday following a bandh called to protest against the revocation of the order on transfer of land to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.

JAMMU: Curfew was clamped in violence-hit parts of Jammu on Tuesday evening as the city and surrounding areas witnessed high-pitched battles during protests against the Jammu and Kashmir government’s decision to revoke the order on transfer of land to Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board. Seventy-five people, including a Member of Parliament, were injured in the violence.

The protests were part of the 72-hour shutdown call given by the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena and the Bajrang Dal.

On Tuesday, hundreds took to the streets and the police tried to control stone-pelting mobs in the Kashmiri Pandit-dominated areas of Muthi and Domanna. The police opened fire and three persons were injured. The policeman, who opened fire, was beaten up by a mob. His weapon was snatched thrown in a canal.

The firing sparked attacks on police personnel in the city. Superintendent of Police Sanjay Kotwal was among 25 police men injured in stone-pelting in various parts of the region. Five State government employees were injured in a stone pelting incident. Two news photographers were injured while covering an incident and this correspondent sustained minor injuries in stone pelting.

There were incidents of cane charging and firing of teargas shells by the police to disperse mobs in dozen odd places in the old city.

All routes to the city were closed for traffic. There was also violence on the key road links within the State. Areas on the Jammu-Pathankot Highway and Jammu-Srinagar Highway witnessed violence.

Congress’ Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha Member Parliament Lal Singh’s vehicle was damaged in stone pelting in Samba area on the Jammu-Pathankot highway. He escaped with minor injuries.

The administration imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, restricting the assembly of persons. But the violence showed no signs of subsiding and later in the evening the administration imposed curfew in Bakshi Nagar, Rehari, Kachi Chowni, Janipur and Peer Metha areas of the old city.

The Jammu University authorities cancelled exams as the government ordered closure of educational institutions.

However, there was no disruption to the Amarnath Yatra. A fresh batch of 2,017 devotees, including 494 women and 56 children, left the base camp for the cave shrine.

One killed

Shujaat Bukhari writes from Srinagar:

One person was killed and several injured during protests that continued for the 10th day in the Kashmir Valley.

Thousands thronged the Jamia Masjid as part of a “Srinagar Chalo” programme even as many separatist leaders were put under house arrest. A general strike crippled life in the Valley and shops, business establishments, government offices and educational institutions remained closed.

One person was killed after police and CRPF tried to disperse a procession, led by Dukhtaran-e-Millat chief Asiya Andrabi, in Budgam.

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