The J&K police lodged an FIR against a group of youth who raised slogans and vandalised a music concert, organised by the J&K Tourism Department, in Srinagar on Sunday.
“A group of miscreants created ruckus on the stage. It was triggered when one boy among the audience demanded a song of his choice to be played. However, his request was not fulfilled immediately. When he took away the microphone, one member of the cultural group slapped that boy. This led to the ruckus on stage,” a police spokesman said.
The spokesman said the police used maximum restraint and avoided firing tear-gas shells.
“Any use of force would have created a stampede-like situation where people in hundreds, including women and children, were in attendance,” the police said.
The police have lodged an FIR against the miscreants. “A legal action will follow,” the police said.
Hundreds of spectators had turned up at Badamwari to watch the programme as part of the spring festival at the garden, where the almond trees are in full bloom these days.
Eyewitnesses said scores of youth climbed on the dais and damaged the music instruments. Officials said all artists, who participated in the event, “were safe”.
A group of youth also raised pro-Zakir Musa, a militant ‘commander’ killed in an encounter, and anti-India slogans, the eyewitnesses said.
In a viral video of the incident, protesting youth were seen venting anger over the government decision to disallow large congregational gatherings on the occasion of Shaab-e-Baraat, especially at the historic Jamia Masjid, due to the pandemic in the Valley but allowing the music concerts.
