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| Religious cleansing operations still on in Kashmir | | Nirmal fails to protect Chatoo's hut | |
Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, May 28: Just a day after the Kheer Bhawani Mela concluded at Tulamula peacefully, a large posse of around 100 policemen lead by the DSP Suhail Rashid barged into the residential premises of a Kashmir Pandit businessman Sandeep Chatoo at Ishbar, Nishat, near Srinagar, and demolished the hut in front of the main house. Chatoo has been one of the very few Kashmiri Pandit businessmen who chose to return to Kashmir Valley from Jammu to pursue his business.
Chatoo tried in vain to stop them but was pushed aside almost at the point of a gun. The DSP Suhail used a very foul and intimidating language "Butta Dhalla tohi kyazi chivana challan"-- despicable Kashmir Pandit why are you not leaving Kashmir. The intimidation and abuse was so intense that Chhatoo felt that he may be shot and killed. He called his friend Usman Majid, who is now a MLA for help. After listening to his anguish Usman Majid immediately rushed to the spot and tried to stop the policemen who were physically threatening Chatoo. Usman told them "whether they are doing this because the concerned person was a Kashmir Pandit". He offered himself as a shield and told the policemen "to kill him first before harming Chatoo".
DSP Suhail had barged into the same house some days back (May 23) in the afternoon, along with his PSOs, and threatened Sandeep Chatoo. Chatoo had informed the DG police and other authorities about the incident. As per reports, Suhail is supposed to have "fundamentalist links". The house of Chatoo is a 40-year-old construction and the hut that was demolished had been built seven years back.
Interestingly, the action taken by the police is said to fall within the jurisdiction of BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal singh. No notice was, according to sources, given to the owner of the house about any infringement of law. At a time when the BJP government at the Centre and the PDP-BJP government in the state have been trying to persuade Kashmiri Pandits to return to Kashmir valley, this incident puts a huge question mark on the actual commitment of the administration to the issue of return. It also reflects the depth of radicalization of the administrative apparatus, including the police department.
Will Nirmal Singh explain how this incident took place? Or, will he toe the separatists' line to remain on the right side of his Kashmiri masters? Or, will he muster courage and ask the Home Ministry to initiate criminal proceedings against the erring police official? |
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