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| Div com begins probe into Sept 15 Mendhar violence | | |
BHARAT BHUSHAN
JAMMU, Nov 11:
On government directions, divisional commissioner Pawan Kotwal today began probe into the September 15 Mendhar violence when, in a surge of anger stoked by the desecration of Quran in US, an angry mob had set ablaze almost all government offices and several vehicles in the town.
In retaliatory police action, three protesters were killed and at least 28 others wounded.
Kotwal was made incharge of the one-man inquiry commission into the incident by a home department order, official sources said.He reached Mendhar in Poonch this morning on his maiden visit to the town as inquiry officer. Accompanied by Poonch deputy commissioner Kuldeep Khajuria, Mendhar SDM Mukhtar Choudhary, additional SP Yougal Manhas and other senior police and civil officers, he called on the victims' families and recorded their statements from 11 am to 3.30 pm.
He also spoke to some prominent persons and political leaders of Mendhar during his stay there, the sources added.
Sources said the divisional commissioner recorded the statements of over 100 people, including the families of the three killed youth.
Some people submitted him written statements, giving a detailed account of the incident, the sources added.A 4,000-strong mob had burnt a missionary school, court complex,
tehsil complex, dak bungalow and offices of BDO, SDPO, CID special branch, treasury, forest department, PHE department, sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), RDD and PDD.
To disperse them, police had fired several gunshots and teargas shells, besides resorting to lathicharge, resulting in the death of three of them and injuries to at least 28 others.
In stone-pelting, SDPO (DSP) Vivek Gupta, Mendhar police station SHO, Inspector Farooq Ahmad and nearly 10 other cops were also injured.
DSP Vivek and his five PSOs were later booked under section 302 of RPC after people alleged that theirs was a peaceful protest and police firing was unprovoked.
Vivek was attached with the office of IGP, Jammu, and his five PSOs were taken into custody.Those, who died, had come from Mendhar's rural areas to join the anti-US and pro-Quran protest. They were: Tata sumo driver Mohammad Shamim (27), son of Mohammad Majid, Mohammad Arshad (19), son of Mohammad Azam of Ari, and Alam Dar (30), son of Sadiq Hussain of Gould. Arshad was said to be a student.
The Mendhar administration had roundly failed to take preventive measures in controlling the mobs.When, on September 15 morning, 3,000 to 4,000 Muslims gathered in Mendhar town and assailed the US for showing disrespect to the Quran and Islam, no immediate steps were taken to either disperse them, or restrict their movement.
The mob had gone on rampage in the town, burning almost all the government offices and at least 16 vehicles, including scooters and motorcycles.
The protesters had returned homes at about 9.30 pm after it was announced officially that a case under section 302 of RPC had been registered against the police officials.Sources said the divisional commissioner was also likely to record the statements of injured police personnel.
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