Things cooled down a bit only because the Hindus in Rajouri are not a minuscule minority and are better organised unlike Kashmiri pandits.
Tension flares up after lathicharge, teargas on procession
Curfew again imposed in Rajouri; cops, women among several injured
JAMMU, Mar 15: Curfew was re-imposed in Rajouri town and outskirts this afternoon after a procession being taken out by the minorities to protest delay in arrest of miscreants involved in attack on religious Bhairav procession on March 6 and 7 was canecharged and teargassed by the police personnel, who tried to stop it from marching towards Rajouri Police Post.
Police said Shafkat Wani, a resident of Ward No. 8, Rajouri, one of the prime accused in attack on the religious procession, was arrested this afternoon. A case had already been registered against him. The minorities were demanding arrest of all 17 accused from majority community, who had instigated the mob and attacked Bhairav processions on March 6 and 7 during Holi festival in Rajouri town, leading to imposition of curfew.
Trouble erupted when a peaceful procession being taken out by the minorities under the aegis of Sanatan Dharam Sabha comprising a number of women was stopped by the police personnel from marching towards Rajouri Police Post. The people said they should be allowed to protest peacefully demanding arrest of the miscreants from majority community, who were involved in attacking religious Bhairav procession twice on March 6 and 7.
However, the police personnel started lathicharge on the procession to disperse them for defying Section 144, which was in force in the town after curfew was completely lifted yesterday.
The mob turned violent and subjected cops to heavy stone pelting for unprovoked lathicharge on the procession. Exchange of stoning and teargas continued for about half an hour. Police fired several teargas shells to disperse the crowd including the women.
A number of women sustained minor injuries in lathicharge and teargassing. Sources said nearly a dozen women sustained injuries but they didn’t require hospitalization. Initially, the women were leading the procession but it was taken over by the male members of minorities when police personnel started lathicharge and teargassing.
A number of vehicles were damaged in stoning and lathicharge.
Angry over police lathicharge and teargassing on police personnel, the mob also resorted to heavy stone pelting on the cops causing injuries to seven of them. Injured cops were admitted in District Hospital, Rajouri from where one of them, Chaman Lal, a resident of Udhampur, was airlifted to Jammu in the evening in view of head injury. His condition was stated to be serious while other injured were responding to the treatment. Two more injured cops were shifted to GMC Jammu by road.
Local people alleged that cops went berserk, entered into the houses of minorities, beat-up men, women and children and damaged houses and vehicles after the stoning.
Deputy Commissioner, GA Khwaja announced imposition of curfew in entire Rajouri town and outskirts to prevent any further outbreak of violence. Police and para-military personnel were deployed in strength in entire town and outskirts to keep the people indoors.
Mike fitted vehicles moved out in Rajouri town announcing imposition of curfew at about 2 pm and asking people to stay indoors. Curfew was strictly implemented till situation returned to normal, Mr Khwaja said, adding that curfew was relaxed in eastern part of Rajouri town from 6 pm to 8 pm where normalcy prevailed. In rest of the town, no relaxation was given.
Police said Shafkat Wani, one of the main accused in the attack on Bhairav processions, has been arrested. The minorities were insisting on arrest of all 17 accused, who have been identified for attacking annual Bhairav procession twice in the town on March 6 and 7 during Holi festival.
The minorities have refused to open their shops even during curfew relaxation demanding immediate arrest of the accused. They have announced that their shops will remain closed till all accused were arrested and put behind the bars with registration of cases against them.
Curfew was imposed in Rajouri town on March 7 after attack on Bhairav procession. Day curfew was lifted on March 13 while night curfew was also lifted yesterday. Only Section 144 was in force in the town.
Some vehicles parked on road side and other complexes were also damaged by some of the cops. Police, however, denied the charge the cops damaged the vehicles.
Curfew reimposed in Rajouri, 7 injured in clashes,stone-pelting
JAMMU: Curfew was reimposed today in the border district of Rajouri in Kashmir after six cops among seven people were injured in stone-pelting and cane charge.
The prohibitory orders were imposed by the authority from this afternoon after the incident occurred when a group of people defied restrictions and took out an anti-government procession in the border town.
In view of imposition of Section 144, police prevented the processionists, including women belonging to a particular community, proceeding from Sanatan Dharam Sabha.
The over 300 people in the procession were demanding release of the arrested 17 members of the community and harassment of SDS leaders by the police and administration.
Saner elements prevail over miscreants to restore normalcy in Rajouri town
RAJOURI, Mar 18: Peace and normalcy that prevailed in Rajouri town today after more than 10 days of turmoil leading to imposition of curfew and registration of several First Information Reports (FIRs) wouldn’t have been possible had the saner elements in both the communities not prevailed upon the people and motivated them to reach into an agreement with the Group of Ministers (GoMs) to maintain centuries old bond of mutual brotherhood. Authoritative sources told the Excelsior that veteran leaders of majority community, which is in minority in the country, played the role of elder brother and had to sacrifice a lot for paving the way for agreement between the GoM and representatives of minority community yesterday to ensure return of peace and normalcy in the sensitive border town of this district as the tensions had been threatening to spread elsewhere in Jammu region if not controlled immediately. "The majority community facilitated the agreement between leaders of minority community and the GoM. Leaders from majority community too had a list of their demands and grievances but they didn’t press for them in the meeting with the GoM as they didn’t want to keep Rajouri disturbed any more’’, they said.