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| 2 killed as India shuts, protests for Amarnath | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu/New Delhi | July 3
The flames of fire emanating out of the forest land controversy in Jammu and Kashmir today spread across the region with dozens of North India major cities observing a shut down on a call Bhartiya Janta Party and Vishwa Hindu Parishad. Protests and demonstrations rocked the cities and at least two persons have been reported killed in communal clashed as activists of BJP and VHP enforced a shut down.
Meanwhile, the central government is watching situation and has pushed in additional deployment of CRPF to assist the Jammu and Kashmir Police in containing violence.
Reports said a flower vendor was stabbed by saffron activists at Rajasthan's Bhilwara during the BJP and VHP-sponsored nationwide bandh on the Amarnath land transfer row as normal life was hit in many parts of northern India with agitators stopping trains, blocking roads and forcing closure of shops.
Prohibitory orders were issued in Bhilwara as a precautionary measure and additional deployments made in Gulmandi area where flower vendors routinely hold their daily market.
There were no arrests and victim Arif Mohammed was rushed to the Mahatma Gandhi hospital. He activists were immediately dispersed, police said.
In Udaipur in the state, 20 protesters were rounded up even as the bandh was peaceful in Kota and Jaisalmer. In Bikaner, saffron activists closed the iron gate of a school and smashed glass panels after a scuffle with police present there to protect students.
The bandh evoked lukewarm response in Uttar Pradesh. Home Secretary Mahesh Gupta VHP and BJP activists tried to stop trains in Sitapur, Agra, Kanpur, Ghaziabad and Jalaunbut districts but their attempts were foiled.
In capital Lucknow, VHP activists torched a bus and forced closure of business establishments in some areas but they were later chased away by the police. About 55 BJP and VHP workers were arrested. The bandh affected normal life at several places in in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.
In Gurdaspur, BJP leader Gurdeep Singh Riar was injured while riding pillion as the motorcycle was allegedly hit from behind. Riar and his companion were visiting the area to monitor the bandh.
Meanwhile, the Centre is closely monitoring the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and has also rushed in four companies of CRPF today for tackling increasing violence in the state over Amarnath land transfer issue.
A spokesperson of CRPF, responsible for counter insurgency operations in the state, said four CRPF companies (nearly 400 personnel) have been sent to Jammu following fresh violence in the city.
The Centre has also rushed a company of Rapid Action Force (RAF) to Indore in Madhya Pradesh after curfew was imposed in some areas of the city following a clash.
Senior Home Ministry officials held a series of meetings besides talking to the state government officials to have a first-hand information about the situation in Jammu.
Protesters halted trains, set afire vehicles and fought pitched battles with police at many places in Jammu region where 25 people were injured in fresh violence over the Amarnath land transfer revocation row.
Shiv Sena activists barged into the house of a Hurriyat Conference leader and assaulted him as curfew clamped in several areas remained in force for the third day. |
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