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| Bijbehara on boil, clergy call for restraint | | Crackers wrapped in scriptures | | Bashir Assad
Bijbehara, Aug10 : Massive protests broke out in this town of Anantnag District on Saturday after a group of youth alleged that religious scriptures were found written over the paper used in fire crackers. Eyewitnesses told Early Times that three minors were bursting crackers in Zirpara locality of Bijbehara town today when a man watching from a distance found religious scriptures written on the piece of paper used to wrap the fire cracker, after it exploded. The man took the paper in his hand and showed it to others and soon dozens of youth started protesting against the occurrence. As the news spread, local youth many from adjoining areas came on streets and clashed with the police and the CRPF personnel, who were already deployed across the town in wake of a protest call extended by the separatist leadership. The protesters marched towards Jamia Masjid in the interior of the town to consult certified Mufti of South Kashmir, Zia-ul-Haq Nazmi who condemned the happening in strongest terms but appealed the agitating youth not to take Law and Order in their hands instead register their protest peacefully. "We condemn this act of hurting the religious sentiments of Muslim community. We demand a probe into the matter,"Zia-ul-Haq told Ear;ly Times over phone. Haq said that it was for the police to enquire whether it was a deliberate attempt to hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslim Community or ignorance on part of the manufactures. "Whatever, the reasons, the sentiments of the Muslim community are hurt and immediate action should be taken to nab the offenders" Zia-ul-Haq said. However, the district administration took all possible precautionary measures to contain the situation.
Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Farooq Ahmad Lone along with SSP Anantnag and other senior police officials visited the area to take stock of the situation. Lone talked to protesters and assured them that the matter will be inquired and the offenders will be booked soon. The Senior police officials from the area said that they are acting very cautiously as incidents of this type have the power to spark massive public outrage. "We have seized all the crackers in the district to ascertain the truth and identify the erring manufacturing company" a senior Police Officer told Early Times over phone. He said the situation was tense but under control and that the police was keeping an eye on how things will unfold in the area. The police officer said that the locals cooperated with the administration and did not allow the protesters to march towards the National Highway. He said the curfew can be clamped in the area if situation demands so. |
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