Beopar Mandal gives half day Samba bandh call
Avtar Bhat
SAMBA, Aug 22: Police fired teargas shells and resorted to lathi-charge as a protest to demand the closure of Sarore Toll Plaza on the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway in Samba district and release of detained Yuva Rajput Sabha activists, turned violent today, officials said.
Authorities had imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which forbids the gathering of four or more people at a particular place, in and around the Toll Plaza late Monday after the Yuva Rajput Sabha held a protest demanding its closure.
So far, police have detained 26 people and arrested one for violating prohibitory orders, they said.
Today the protesters blocked the Highway for more than four hours demanding the release of arrested YRS activists and closure of Sarore Toll Plaza.
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“The protesters resorted to stone-pelting during the demonstration. We used mild cane charge and teargas to disperse them,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Samba, Benam Tosh said. The situation is under control, he added.
Earlier, hundreds of activists of YRS assembled at National Highway at Tarore and blocked the movement of vehicular traffic in support of their demand. They resorted to dharna and shouted slogans.
The protestors refused to budge after the SDM Samba, Vijay Kotwal who rushed to the spot and pursued them to lift the blockade. Later DIG Jammu, Samba and Kathua Range Shakti Pathak along with SSP Samba, Benam Tosh reached the spot and they also pursuaded them to lift the blockade but they did not agree. There was a huge jam on the Highway.
Police said that some of the protesters started pelting stones on the police and vehicles on the Highway. The window panes of some of the vehicles were also damaged and some policemen received minor injuries forcing the police to resort to lathi -charge and tear gassing to disperse the mob.
District Development Commissioner, Samba, Abhishekh Sharma said that situation is under control and traffic has been restored on Highway. He said the protesters earlier assembled at Tarore and tried to block the NH which was restored by police. He said the Toll Plaza at Sarore is also functioning normally.
Yuva Rajput Sabha leader, Virender Singh who among other activists of the Sabha was leading the protest at Tarore said that they will not lift the blockade till the arrested activists of their organisation are released and Toll Plaza at Sarore is suspended.
Meanwhile, in support of the Yuva Rajput Saba, the Beopar Mandal Samba held a peaceful protest in the town in which hundreds of people participated demanding release of the arrested activists of YRS and removal of Sarore TP. The protest was led by Beopar Mandal Samba president, Tejinder Singh who gave a bandh call in the town upto 1 PM tomorrow showing solidarity of the people with the YRS and supporting its struggle for suspension of Sarore TP.
Tejinder Singh said that the Government should concede the demand instead of making it an issue. He warned that tomorrow’s bandh will be symbolic and in case the Government failed to settle the demands the agitation will prolong.
On Monday, hundreds of Yuva Rajput Sabha activists held a protest demanding the removal of the Toll Plaza alleging that it was set up in violation of rules. Some of them even tried to damage the structure, police said.
Meanwhile, various political, social and trade bodies have condemned arrest of YRS activists and extended full support to their demand for removal of Sarore TP.
Former MLC, Vikramaditya Singh expressing his anguish over the collection of toll at Sarore despite the severe damage caused to the National Highway at Chadwal in district Samba said until the Tarnah bridge is repaired and traffic is restored on NH there should be no toll collection at Sarore TP.
Congress working president and former Minister, Raman Bhalla also joined the agitation and extended full support to the YRS for abolition of Toll Plaza. He demanded immediate removal of TP at Sarore besides, the white paper over the time period of other toll plazas in Jammu. Former Minister and senior Congress leader, Mulla Ram has also extended full support to YRS in its agitation.
District Congress Committee (DCC) Jammu Rural while extending full support to agitation has demanded suspension of toll collection at Sarore due to the poor road conditions and a damaged bridge at Dayalachak.
Dogra Swabhimaan Sangthan Party (DSSP) has also strongly condemned the detention of Jammu youth and demanded their immediate release. The party held an emergency meeting under the chairmanship of Ch. Lal Singh to review the situation which has arisen out of the illegal detention of the Jammu youth who were democratically protesting against the illegal collection of the toll in the sheer violation of the standing guidelines.
Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), Jammu has strongly condemned the imposition of Section 144 and lifting of activists of Yuva Rajput Sabha who were peacefully and democratically protesting and demanding the removal of Sarore Toll Plaza on Jammu -Pathankot National Highway.
The Chamber in a meeting today under the chairmanship of its president, Arun Gupta said holding of peaceful protest is democratic right of every citizen.
National Conference (NC) provincial president, Rattan Lal Gupta has also demanded immediate abolishment of Sarore TP which is causing undue financial burden on the people.
Jammu Muslim Front has demanded immediate release of arrested youth and ordering of inquiry why the norms of NH were not adhered to while opening of Toll Plazas.
Vikrant Kapoor, president, Hindustan Shiv Sena has extended full support to YRS in its struggle.
Congress leader and DDC member, Suchetgarh, Taranjit Singh Tony has strongly condemned the lathi charge on Yuva Rajput Sabha activists at Taroe and arrest of its leaders yesterday while demanding immediate removal of TP at Sarore.
Senior National Conference (NC) leader and former Minister, Ajay Sadhotra while, extending full support to ongoing struggle launched against imposition of toll at Sarore has urged the double engine Sarkar not to make it a prestige issue and roll back Sarore toll and smart meter measures. Apni Party, while supporting the demand regarding removal of Sarore Toll Plaza today held a peaceful demonstration at Nai Basti in Satwari area against the Toll Tax Collection at Sarore. The protest was organized by Sheekha Bardwaj.
Extending full support to Yuva Rajput Sabha in its ongoing struggle against the removal of Sarore Toll Plaza, the activists of Dogra Front and Shiv Sena led by its president, Ashok Gupta took out a rally against the toll being collected at the Sarore Toll Plaza which it termed is completely illegal due to bad condition of National Highway.
J&K Youth Congress has also demanded removal of the Sarore Toll Plaza citing the excessive and unnecessary burden it is causing on the pockets of the daily passengers.
Senior Congress leader and former Minister, Manohar Lal Sharma visited DPL Samba and met the YRS president, Vikram Singh and other activists there. He showed total solidarity with them and extended full support to their demand.
Mission Statehood Jammu, Sunil Dimple while demanding immediate removal of Sarore Toll Plaza has sent a memorandum to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister, Amit Shah and Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha in this regard.
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