Excelsior Correspondent
UDHAMPUR, Aug 16: About a dozen activists of Panthers Party were injured when Police resorted to cane charging at Chak Rakhwalan Railway Station where the former were protesting against deployment of non-locals as Gang Man and Track-Man on Katra-Udhampur Rail Section .
The injured also included Personal Security Officer (PSO) of MLA Udhampur Balwant Singh Mankotia. Six among the injured were admitted in hospital.
The JKNPP activists had assembled at the Railway Station on a call by the party president and MLA Udhampur Balwant Singh Mankotia for “Chak Chalo”in protest against alleged discrimination with unemployed local youth. The trouble erupted when some Kashmiri youth, deployed by Railway Department, allegedly resorted to stone pelting on the peaceful protesters resulting into commotion following which Police also came in action and fired teargas shells.
About a dozen Panthers party worker were injured in the police lathicharge and stone pelting. The injured, admitted in hospital, were identified as Ramesh (PSO of the MLA) son of Prem Singh, Ankush son of Prem Nath, Jaswant Singh son of Dev Singh of Battel Ballian, Rakesh son of Rattan Chand of Nalli Nikka, Ankit son of Vijay Kumar of Udhampur, Sudesh son of Nasib Singh of Udhampur.
Earlier, addressing the workers, Balwant Singh Mankotia strongly criticized the Ministry of Railway and Government of India’s decision to employ Railway staff even for IV Class job on Udhampur-Katra Railline from Kashmir Valley ignoring the local unemployed youth. “People of Udhampur and Reasi district have contributed their land, money, persons for seeing the day when Udhampur-Katra rail link becomes operational but the decision of Ministry of Railway to appoint even gangmen and coolies from Kashmir Valley is very disturbing,” he said.
Following the incident, additional forces were deployed at Chak Rakhwallan station where the situation eased out after the protestors were pacified by senior police officials.
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