Adil Lateef
Srinagar, May 5: In the wake of surge in armed robberies, the banks in sensitive areas of two districts of Pulwama and Shopian in South Kashmir have stopped cash dealings following a police advisory to evade further raids for cash by militants while as Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu chaired a bankers meeting here at Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) to discuss the security scenario of banks.
A senior official of a leading bank told Excelsior that Jammu and Kashmir Police issued an advisory to all banks operating in Pulwama and Shopian districts and asked them to stop cash deliveries at those branches which are located in sensitive areas of all the four districts. “We were told that the security agencies have inputs about more armed robberies, so we acted accordingly and stopped cash dealings at those branches listed by police as sensitive,” he said.
Sources revealed that the 40 branches of Jammu and Kashmir Bank, the largest bank of the State having maximum presence in both Pulwama and Shopian districts, have been listed as sensitive and the cash transactions at all these branches have been stopped. The branches of other banks including, Ellaquai Dehati Bank have also stopped cash transactions.
A J&K Bank official said: “We were handed over list of 40 banks located in Pulwama and Shopian districts and asked to stop cash dealings for some time. Now the cash transactions will take place at adjoining safer branches.”
The bank officials, however, said all their branches are functional everywhere. “Other than cash dealings, rest of our business is happening as usual,” they said.
Sources said that the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in Pulwama and Shopian were cashless today while in absence of cash dealings, people faced massive inconvenience. “For just 2,000 rupees, I have had to travel to Main Town of Pulwama,” said a resident of Rohmoo village of Pulwama district.
The bank officials said that there was, however, no advisory for the banks located in Kulgam – which also witnessed militant raids on banks – and Anantnag districts so far. They expressed concern over “deteriorating” security situation in South Kashmir and increase in armed robberies, alleging “the security apparatus has failed in providing security to the banks”. “On our part, we are following all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as per Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines,” they said.
To discuss the security scenario in the wake of multiple raids on banks and an attack on cash van of Jammu and Kashmir Bank in South Kashmir, State’s Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu chaired Special State Level Bankers meeting at SKICC wherein the security scenario of the banks was discussed. Sources said that the main agenda of the meeting was the security of the banks and “there was a call to revisit the SOP for cash delivery”. The participants of the meeting also conveyed their condolence to the families of five policemen and two bank guards killed in Kulgam attack.
Two days after police blamed and named Lashkar-e-Toiba militants for their involvement in banks heists, the outfit said that they have nothing to do with the bank robberies. “Robbing Banks is not the work of militants. Honesty, truth and serving Kashmiri people is our core trait. This is an Indian agenda to malign us that has been planned in Delhi,” the LeT spokesman said in a statement.
Meanwhile, protests and clashes erupted in several parts of Kashmir valley after Friday prayers while as a shutdown was observed in Shopian district against killing of sumo driver during an attack on Army yesterday. Shortly after Friday prayers, moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq led a protest outside Jama Masjid in Nowhatta in Srinagar against Shopian crackdown and arrests of youth.
The protest followed by stone-throwing clashes between youth and security forces in the premises of Jama Masjid. The clashes continued for nearly an hour but police did not use any force against the stone-throwers. The separatist leaders and activists also staged a protest at Maisuma and Hyderpora areas of city against the security forces’ crackdowns. However these protests concluded peacefully.
In North Kashmir’s Sopore area of Baramulla district, students clashed with security forces at Bomai village against police action on their peers yesterday. In Main Town of Sopore, massive clashes erupted between police and stone-throwers outside Jama Masjid which continued for several hours. Police used teargas against the stone-throwers but they continued pelting stones. Students in Iddipora village of Rafiabad on Sopore outskirts also staged protests.
While performing their professional duties, police allegedly thrashed two journalists namely Eeshan Peer and Younis Ganai in Sopore Town. The journalist bodies including Kashmir Press Photographers Association, Kashmir Video Journalists Association and Baramulla Working Journalists Association have condemned police action and demanded action against the erring cops. The clashes between protesters and security forces also erupted at Trehgam village of Kupwara district. In central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, people clashed with police after offering Friday prayers in Behama Chowk. No one was injured in these clashes.
A complete shutdown was observed in Shopian district against the killing of Nazir Ahmad Sheikh, a sumo driver, who was hit by bullets after militants attacked Army men who were in his sumo yesterday evening. All the shops, commercial establishments and educational institutions remained closed in the district while people demanded that the civil drivers should not be hired by security forces as it risks their lives.
Meanwhile, militants fired in air after making their appearance during a protest march in Hajjan area of North Kashmir while massive clashes erupted between locals and security forces in Drubgam and Gudoora villages of Pulwama district of South Kashmir today during search operations.
A protest march was organized by the locals in Hajjan area of North Kashmir which lasted for several hours and in the evening two militants appeared during the protests and fired in air.
Security forces cordoned off Drubgam village of Pulwama after receiving an input about the presence of militants. As the security forces launched search operation, locals came out of their houses and disrupted the operation by pelting stones on forces. The forces responded by firing teargas shells, triggering massive clashes after the operation was called off.
In Gudoora village of Pulwama, security forces launched a cordon and search operation this evening after receiving an input about the presence of militants. However, locals here also disrupted the security forces operation and pelted stones on them leading to massive clashes.
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