Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, June 29: Six cops including a DySP were injured after they were attacked with stones and lathis by land grabbers in village Purab Chak area of Nagri tehsil in this district during a demolition drive today.
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The injured cops including two women police personnel and four males were admitted in Government Medical College (GMC) Hospital Kathua for treatment and later discharged after giving first aid.
The injured included DySP Manjit Singh. He received head injury after he was hit by a stone while on his way to remove encroachments on State land on which huge structures were being built.
Police said the case has been registered against the land grabbers in Police Station Kathua for attacking the police team under relevant Sections of the law and two persons were arrested in this regard.
Police said that some locals belonging to a particular community had grabbed the State land and made illegal constructions over the same. The administration team which started a demolition drive today by pressing JCB in service to remove encroachments were attacked by the land grabbers with lathis and stones resulting in injury to six cops including DySP.
Later the administration deployed a big contingent of police and CRPF personnel in the area to control the situation. To defuse the situation from taking ugly turn, some locals appealed the administration that the issue be settled amicably.
SSP Kathua, Anayat Ali Choudhary told Excelsior that two people were arrested and case was registered under relevant Sections of the law. He said more arrests will be made as police is on the job and has launched a manhunt to arrest the culprits.
Meanwhile, District Development Commissioner, Kathua Rakesh Minhas has cautioned the people against the rumor mongers and asked them not to ear the rumors.
The DC has warned against the encroachment of State land saying no one indulging in this practice will be spared.
Minhas while clarifying the police action against the anti-encroachment drive carried out in village Purab Chak in Nagri area said the failure of land grabbers to abide by the notices to stop unauthorized construction prompted the action.
The DC while taking strong exception to land grabbing and construction of structures on State land said that twice notices were served to erring people but they still continued the work.
Minhas said, “Our action against illegal encroachments in village Purab Chak is a routine drive., We urge civil society not to misinterpret this issue,. It is our collective responsibility to combat the menace of illegal constructions’’, he added.
The DC further said that the law and order situation is normal in Kathua district. He urged everyone to remain vigilant and not to spread misinformation or believe rumors. He urged the people to work together with administration in maintaining the rule of the law.
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