| Admin can't escape responsibility for vandalism, violence in Jammu | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 17: The incidents of vandalism and violence witnessed in Jammu, following dastardly terrorist attack in Pulwama in which over 40 CRPF jawans were martyred, could be called outcome of the public anger but state administration is solely responsible for all the incidents in which several vehicles were damaged and torched as youth were beaten and arrested in various parts of the city.
One can't expect discipline from angry mob but the onus of maintaining peace and normalcy lies solely with the government administration, but it almost failed.
Reacting over the violence, President of Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry Rakesh Gupta had said, "There were apprehensions about communal flare-up on Thursday night. The administration didn't ensure adequate deployment of forces in the sensitive locations of the city. Had administration taken proper security measures, the Jammu district would not have been shamed today."
Despite enough information forwarded by intelligence agencies from the ground zero, no necessary deployment of security forces was made in sensitive areas such as Gujjar Nagar, despite snapping internet services in the dead of night.
On Friday morning, when the rally of protesting youth reached Vivekanand Chowk, there was not enough police force accompanying the protestors, which would have restricted them from moving towards sensitive area. The district administration Jammu announced curfew at around 2:30 PM till then several vehicles had been damaged and set ablaze.
"Army as well as police forces were deployed in several sensitive areas but their hands were tied without any official orders to control the crowd. Police or Army cannot take action on their own but need directives which were not issued by the administration till evening", a senior police official said.
The official further stated that after much hue and cry, and statements by various sections of the society, the Governor administration woke from deep slumber and strictly imposed the curfew.
"Had the curfew strictly been imposed on Friday morning, there would have been no arson, vandalism, violence in Jammu but it is still unknown why such laid back approach was adopted by state administration?", an official said.
Now after the situations returns to normal, most probably just like Amar Nath Land Row movement, the angry protesters of Jammu would face brunt of law enforcement agencies. |
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