Dr Jitendra calls for peace, urges elders to sit together
We will soon bring situation to normal: DGP
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 10: Curfew continued in Bhaderwah town of Doda district and parts of Kishtwar including town and peripheries for second day today while prohibitory orders remained in-force in Doda town and most of the areas in Ramban district excepting National Highway even as no major incident was reported from any of the three districts excepting Bhaderwah where people and police clashed leading to use of teargas. Curfew and restrictions were imposed last night after trouble over remarks of former BJP leader Nupur Sharma and provocative speeches from a religious place.
Situation in rest of the districts remained normal across Jammu region. However, various religious organizations in Rajouri and Poonch districts have given call for bandh and peaceful protests tomorrow. Administration in two districts was maintaining high alert despite assurance by the bandh supporters that they will maintain complete peace.
Army has been called out in Bhaderwah town, some other parts of Doda and Kishtwar town and peripheries which was patrolling the streets to keep situation well under control. Internet services remained suspended in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts as a precautionary measure.
Trouble erupted in Bhaderwah town this morning after some youth pelted stones on a police party. The cops asked them to retreat but they kept stoning police vehicles and cops prompting the latter to use teargas shells to disperse the crowd.
Situation was brought under control after about half an hour and curfew was strictly enforced.
District Magistrate Doda Vikas Sharma told the Excelsior that curfew was imposed in Bhaderwah town while in rest of the towns of the district prohibitory orders under Section 144 have been clamped.
Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar Ashok Sharma said curfew has been imposed in Kishtwar town and peripheries as a precautionary measure.
Sources said though Section 144 has been imposed in Ramban town prohibiting gathering of more than four persons, all markets remained closed and traffic was off the roads except Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
However, internet services including mobile net were snapped in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts.
Sources said police in Bhaderwah have lodged two First Information Reports (FIRs). One FIR has been lodged against inflammatory speeches made from religious place and another against the provocative posts on Social Media (SM).
“Action has been taken (over inflammatory speeches). A case has been registered under IPC sections 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) at Bhaderwah police station,” a police official said.
“Investigation in both cases is on and action will be taken during the probe,” sources said.
The protest started in Bhaderwah town of Doda district on Thursday when hundreds of people staged a sit-in against the remarks made by now-suspended BJP leaders Nupur Sharma and Naveen Jindal.
After intense negotiations, the protestors agreed to clear the road and entered the neighbouring Jama Masjid. Purported video clips of the inflammatory speeches went viral on social media.
Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Mukesh Singh visited the Bhaderwah town along with Divisional Commissioner of Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, and other officials to assess the situation.
Later, he told reporters that preventive measures have been taken to ease the situation and requested the media not to visit areas where stone-pelting had taken place as it could flare up the situation.
“Security forces have been deployed in large numbers in Bhaderwah town. The situation is under control. Anyone who tries to vitiate the atmosphere will face stringent action,” Singh said.
The ADGP held a meeting with all security agencies, civil administration and the Army to assess the situation and asked them to take stringent action against the miscreants.
A route march was held in Masjid Mohalla, Sadar Bazaar and Pasri Bus Stand in Bhaderwah town, Singh added.
“Curfew has been imposed in both Doda and Kishtwar districts as a precautionary measure,” Divisional Commissioner, Jammu region, Ramesh Kumar said.
Registering FIRs, the police have warned that anyone found violating law and order will not be spared.
“Anyone who takes the law into his own hands will not be spared,” he said.
Cleric Adil Ganai, who has been booked for making inflammatory and hate speeches in Bhaderwah on Thursday, tendered an apology for hurting the sentiments of a particular community.
“It was not against a community but a particular individual. Despite that, if I hurt the feelings of a community, I apologise”, he told reporters. Ganai said it was the result of an emotional outburst. “I apologize for that.”
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s office and Member of Parliament from Udhampur-Doda constituency, Dr Jitendra Singh has expressed concern over the situation in Bhaderwah town of Doda district after communal clashes and urged the leaders of both the communities to maintain peace and harmony.
“I am deeply disturbed by the unpleasant situation that developed in #Bhaderwah yesterday. I humbly appeal to the elders and the heads of the two communities to sit together to maintain the traditional harmony for which the beautiful town of Bhaderwah has always been known” Dr Jitendra Singh tweeted.
The Minister said, “I am in constant touch with DC Doda Vikas Sharma and Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar. DC Doda and SSP Doda are presently camping in Bhaderwah and personally monitoring the situation”.
Taking to Twitter, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said, “I hope cooler heads prevail. Jammu and Kashmir has enough problems without adding to them with communal tension spreading in and around Bhaderwah. I appeal to everyone to maintain calm and ask my party colleagues to help normalise the situation at the earliest.”
Meanwhile, Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said efforts are on to defuse tension in Bhaderwah town and expressed confidence that the situation will return to normal soon.
Singh said people should behave responsibly and maintain communal harmony.
“We are holding talks with them (people). Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) and the Divisional Commissioner have been sent to that area. They are both in Bhaderwah. The situation is being watched. We will soon bring it to normalcy,” the J-K Police chief told reporters during a visit to Kathua to review arrangements with regard to the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra.
He said curfew has been imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain peace and appealed to people not to get misled by provocation.
“People should behave responsibly. If someone does anything wrong, action is taken against that person. It is not wise to come on roads at the instigation of someone and do acts which cause damage to communal harmony,” Singh said.
“Expression of resentment on being instigated is alright to a level but no such step should be taken wherein police have to use force and take stringent action,” the DGP said.
He said some people do not behave responsibly and do acts that disturb law and order.
“They speak very wrong. They should not speak like that. If someone hurts people’s feelings, there are aberrations,” Singh said.
“Curfew has been imposed in Bhaderwah to stop such an activity,” he added.
Dilbag said it was shameful that Pakistan and its terror network was killing innocent people in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said militants time and again have been finding new ways to target civilians.
“Pakistan has been playing with peace and normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir. It wants to disturb the lives of the people and cause damage to them. For this, terrorists are always devising new methods,” Singh said.
“IED-fitted sticky bombs are being used (by militants). It is shameful to take the lives of the people through these acts,” he added.
The DGP said militants are using new methods as a strategy to carry out the attacks.
“This challenge will also be dealt with strongly. We will be successful in dealing with it as people are supporting us,” Singh said.
He said the acts by militants and their Pakistani mentors are a threat to peace and normalcy in J and K.
“Militants on the directions of Pakistan and ISI are ferrying IEDs, weapons and narcotics to this side (through drones),” the DGP said.
He said security forces have foiled several bids of drone intrusion along the border.
A large cache of weapons and explosives have been recovered so far, he said, highlighting the shooting down of a drone by the Kathua Police recently and seizing of the weapons it was carrying.
Referring to the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra, Singh said preparations are underway for the pilgrimage which is taking place after a two-year break due to the COVID pandemic.
“All arrangements, including the entry points on the highway through which the yatris will pass, were reviewed,” he said.
Like in the past, this year’s yatra too will be peaceful and trouble-free, he assured.
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