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| Jammu Cool, Curfew in Poonch | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Aug 23
Coinciding with the eve of Krishna Janamashthami some signs of normalcy were seen in Jammu and its adjoining areas but situation continued to remain tense in the border township of Poonch where clashes between members of two communities left more than 20 people injured while a dozen shops are reported have gutted forcing the authorities to impose curfew.
Curfew was on Saturday lifted in Jammu and Samba districts even as talks between the group spearheading the Amarnath agitation and a panel set up by the Governor to resolve the vexed issue began in Jammu.
However, curfew remained clamped for the second day on the border town of Hiranagar, while it was relaxed in Kishtwar town for six hours. Curfew was imposed in Hiranagar on Friday after protesters turned violent and torched a truck parked in the police station complexfollowing the arrest of a youth.
Six persons were injured as police fired tear gas shells and cane charged the protesters who forcibly released the youth from the police station.
Army had conducted flag marches in the town on Friday.
Day and night curfew has been lifted in Jammu and Samba districts, while only day curfew has been lifted in Udhampur town from 0500 hours to 2200 hours to facilitate people to celebrate 'Janmastami'.
Reports said that curfew was imposed in border district of Poonch following clashes between two communities, about forty shops belonging to both the groups gutted, while twenty others were damaged during the ding dong battles which were still going on, here this evening.
Reports reveal that members of a particular community held a protest demonstration against police action which resulted into injuries to about 25 persons in Mandi area of the district last evening,
The majority community had given a bandh call for today in poonch and Mandi areas. They held protest demonstrations demanding action against police personnel responsible in Mandi firing incident.
"When the demonstration was passing through Poonch market the members of other community allegedly pelted stones on them leading to a clash" sources quoting eye witnesses said.
They said, at least 40 shops belonging to both the communities were burnt down in the clashes that followed, while 20 others were damaged by the mob. "Twenty two persons were reportedly injured during the clashes", sources added.
District administration imposed curfew to avoid further clashes. Police and paramilitary forces have been deployed and the situations is said to tense, till the last reports came in.
"Clashes broke out between two groups which took violent turn and authorities had to call out the Army and curfew has been imposed" a police officer told News Agency of Kashmir adding some miscreants set on fire 40 shops in Poonch city and damaged 20 others. During clashes about a dozen Police personnel and some civilians got injuries.
He said two companies of CRPF have been air lifted to Poonch and deployed in market so as to save the properties of both the communities.
]=Sources said that Army has been called in, Defence Spokesman Lt Col SD Goswami said army has been deployed in poonch town following civil administration has requisitioned for its deployment. |
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