Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 22: Terrorised not by militants but police in Valley, Shri Amarnath pilgrims had a bitter experience after they were abused, detained and made to pay Rs 3000 bribe for securing their release from a police post in Shopian district of South Kashmir on Saturday.
Interestingly, the man leading the group of pilgrims, who was made to pay graft to cops is the father of a KPS officer (Under trainee at Udhampur SKPTA), hailing from Poonch district. Not only this, the cops forced the pilgrims to remove religious flag and photo of Lord Shiva from the vehicle.
A total thirteen pilgrims including eight women and two children were traveling in the Tempo Traveller which was on its way to Mendhar in Poonch from Baltal via Shopian (Mughal Road). The driver was beaten up and pilgrims including women abused. The pilgrims kept pleading to the cops not to harass them and allow them to move but they were taken back to police post at Heerpur on Mughal Road and were allegedly detained from 1.30 pm to 4 pm by Incharge Poice Post, Sub Inspector Arshed Hussain and his `Khakhi’ clad men.
Narrating his nightmarish experience, the pilgrim Harbans Lal Sharma from Mendhar disclosed that they went to Shri Amarnathji shrine from Mendhar on July 18 in a hired Tempo Traveller via Mughal Road. After performing Darshan were returning via same route. He said nobody stopped them at Shopian or earlier.
“When we crossed Heerpur and had moved about 4 kms ahead, a car came from the opposite side (Poonch side) and stopped us. Three persons in plain dress were sitting inside. They asked our driver to stop. The driver, Nazarat Hussain from Gursai, stopped the vehicle. The cops asked to take back the vehicle and follow them to the police post at Heerpur. The passengers resisted and asked the reason and also inquired about their identity. The men came out of the car and started beating driver and abusing all the passengers without giving any reason or identity. The terrorized ladies also got down the vehicle along with two ailing children. The driver was forcefully pushed inside the vehicle and asked to rush to the police station and in the process four lady passengers were left behind and the vehicle was taken to Heerpur Police Post. The abandoned ladies then managed to reach back after long time taking lift in some other vehicles,” Mr Sharma maintained.
The victimized pilgrim further narrated that car borne three men then went inside the Police Post complex and another one in uniform came out and told that he was Incharge PP Arshed Hussain. When asked about the reason of their detention, the cops simply asked to go via Jammu and they will not be allowed to go beyond. “When we pleaded that 3-4 yatri vehicles have just crossed this road and they were not detained and moreover, they were not stopped anywhere by naka parties at Shopian and even while coming from Mendhar side, the cops got furious and again started abusing and beating up the driver. After long wait, a Head Constable, apparently `Munshi’ came from inside and told us to pay Rs 5000 to Incharge PP otherwise, they will be made to go via Jammu. On this, we again met the SI sitting inside and after request he settled for Rs 3000. After paying this money, the cops allowed the vehicle to move ahead at around 4 pm. The cops also made us to remove flag and photo of Lord Shiva from the vehicle,” Mr Sharma who is Accountant in RDD in Poonch told Excelsior.
The pilgrims after reaching Mendhar today went to Police Station and narrated whole story and formally lodged a written complaint. The SDPO, Amit Bhasin took up the matter with district police chief, Poonch Shamsheer Hussain and also with the SSP Shopian, Mumtaz Khan for initiating inquiry and taking action against the cops.
SSP Shopian, Mr Khan when contacted claimed that he came to know about the matter today. He said due to security reasons, the pilgrims were stopped by police party at Heerpur. However, he denied the charges of bribe from the pilgrims but maintained that he will initiate an inquiry in this regard. He said there is no deployment of force on this route and there is risk involved in travel.
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