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| Man bids self immolation, critical | | 48 hours shut down ends, SAYSS alleges Police brutality | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Sept 22: Mixed response was today observed to the second and last day of shut down called by Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti in protest against sabotage of its function which was scheduled to be held at Abhinav Theater on Saturday morning.
The Samiti convener Leela Karan, however, alleged that the local administration and Police compelled the shopkeepers to open their establishments. “The Police used brutal force to keep the markets open”, Leela Karan told a news conference in the evening.
The only unpleasant incident of the day was self immolation attempt by a youth in Gaghwal area who had to be shifted to Chandigarh after he sustained 85 per cent burn injuries.
Identified as Jaswant Singh, a middle aged shopkeeper of Gaghwal in Samba district, he set himself afire at his residence. He was rushed to Samba hospital and then GMC hospital from where sensing his condition critical he was referred to Chandigarh. "He received about 85 percent burnt injuries and his condition is critical", doctors in GMC hospital told. He was air lifted to PG hospital Chandigarh. Where as SAYSS convener Leela Karan in a press conference announced Rs 10000 assistance to the Jaswant and the four persons identified as Ravi Sharma, Pawan Singh, Arun Sharma and KD Gupta whose eyes have been badly damaged due to tear gas shells fired by police during agitation will be sent to Hyderabad special eye institution for treatment. The expenses will be born by the NGOs, he claimed. He also said that talk with the government for compensation for traders is going on and hoped for early redress. He also alleged police gundagardi saying people shut their shops but police forcefully opened the shops and threatened to dire consequences to those who shut their shops.
The youth Jaswant Singh a resident of Mandi Gagwal who is also running his vegetable shop in the market early in the morning opened his shop and enquired about the telephone number of SAYSS convener Leela Karan to the residents of the area. One of the resident suggested him to phone the Sarpanch of the area identified as Rashpal Verma and he talked to him on phoned for about five minutes. He later moved to his shop and sprinkled kerosene oil on him and burnt himself. People of the area came to know about his immolation when he came out from his shop. He was rushed to GMC hospital from where he referred to Chandigarh as he received 85 percent burnt injuries. Sarpanch of the area told to media persons that Jaswant was calling him and initially he avoid him as the telephone number was unknown to him but when phone rang again and again he attended the phone and talked to him for about five minutes. The talk was about the indiscrimination meted out with the Jammuites but he did not give him the phone number of Leela Karan and after few minutes he came to know that somebody had made a bid to suicide. “I was on the spot when episode occurred, we took him to Samba hospital and then to GMC hospital and en rout he chanted Bum-Bum Bola. He was also saying that we Jammuites have always been subject of indiscrimination for sixty years and his sacrifice did not go waste, one of the residents of the area told edia persons in GMC hospital.
Meanwhile, the life came to a standstill in most parts of Jammu as most of the business establishments remained closed. All educational institutions also remained closed while state government offices reported thin attendance.
Traffic too remained off the road. SRTC employees which called off their strike after assurance from the Governor ran transport services to ferry Vaishnodevi pilgrims.
The Jammu University examinations were cancelled
The bandh was also observed in Kathua, Udhampur, Reasi and Rajouri. Reports reaching here said small groups of people took out rallies despite rough weather conditions and shouted anti governor and anti government slogans.
Effigies of governor N N Vohra were burnt in several areas of Jammu, Kathua and Udhampur districts during the protests against the police firing and cane-charging. Police and para military force was deployed in large number along the Jammu Srinagar and Jammu-Pathankot national highway to ensure there was no blockade. |
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