*Car looted, torched with wireless sets
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 12: Acting tough after massive uproar in Parliament and outrage across the country over large-scale violence in Kishtwar targeted against minorities, the Government today ordered a judicial probe into the incidents while Minister of State for Home Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo, NC MLA from Kishtwar, who was being held responsible for the vandalism not only by the State parties and organisations but even the national leaders, resigned from the Ministry. Governor NN Vohra immediately accepted his resignation on the advice of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
The Government has also announced immediate relief to the maximum of Rs 2 lakh each to those, whose houses have been damaged or gutted and shops looted during the clashes in various areas of Jammu division.
Eight districts of Jammu region (excepting Ramban and Poonch) reeled under curfew. While curfew was relaxed for few hours in parts of Udhampur, Reasi, Rajouri, Kathua and Samba, authorities gave no relaxation in Jammu, Doda and Kishtwar districts. Fresh trouble erupted in Kishtwar town for some time while Jammu district gradually remained normal excepting a group clash at Raipur under Domana police station for second consecutive day today.
Police today arrested 11 persons including separatist leader Abdul Qayoom Mattu in Kishtwar in connection with Friday’s violence. Mattu has been booked for instigating the mob to indulge in rioting. Some more arrests were on the cards as authorities were engaged in identifying the persons, who indulged in violence, torched shops and hotels and other property in Kishtwar town. Over 100 persons have been detained in Jammu City alone for violence.
Miscreants looted and set on fire a private Wagon R, hired by the police, at Shalimar Chowk, about five kilometers short of Kishtwar. At least 10 wireless sets of police and one Insas magazine were looted by the mob. Some of the sets might have been burnt inside the Wagon R, police said, adding two sets were recovered from the miscreants this evening.
They added that two police constables and a SPO were traveling in the Wagon R when the mob intercepted it. The police personnel survived. A case has been registered and investigations taken up in the case.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the State Government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the Kishtwar incidents.
“The inquiry will be conducted by a retired Judge of the High Court in a time bound manner,” an official handout said, adding the inquiry will be completed in a time bound manner.
The Government would shortly name a retired Judge of the High Court for inquiry.
Meanwhile, under fire from various political parties and organisations at national and State level for his role in Friday’s Kishtwar violence, Minister of State for Home Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo met Omar this morning and submitted his resignation on the ground that he wanted the judicial inquiry, ordered by the Chief Minister, to be held in free and transparent manner.
Omar forwarded the resignation of Mr Kitchloo to Governor NN Vohra, who accepted it.
“On the advice of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the Governor had accepted resignation of Mr Kitchloo from the State Council of Ministers with immediate effect,” an official handout from the Raj Bhavan said.
While the Home Department was already being held by the Chief Minister, the Independent charge of Industries and Commerce, held by Mr Kitchloo, would be kept by the Chief Minister till further orders. Strength of the Ministry has come down to 24 with the resignation of Mr Kitchloo.
Reading a statement to media after submitting his resignation, Mr Kitchloo, flanked by National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana, said he was pained by the accusations made at him only for “petty” political gains.
“I want the truth to come out…My conscience does not allow me to continue as a Minister till probe ends. I am resigning so that my presence does not cast a shadow on an independent probe,” he said.
He, however, maintained that he was innocent and had done nothing wrong.
“My conscience is clear, my electorate in Kishtwar vouch for my secular credentials and I am deeply hurt that some people have stooped so low as to accuse me of something I have not done, only for petty political gains,” Mr Kitchloo said.
He also said he took strong exception to the remarks by Arun Jaitley regarding his alleged role.
“…It is widely perceived that a Minister of (State) Government who belongs to Kishtwar town is behind this,” Mr Jaitley had said yesterday without naming Mr Kitchloo on his return to Delhi after he was stopped at Jammu airport and prevented from visiting the affected people. BSP supremo and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today also demanded resignation of Mr Kitchloo and his immediate arrest in Rajya Sabha.
“I take strong exception to what Arun Jaitley said. Did Narender Modi resign after Godhra? What happened to Amit Shah who is now the star campaigner of BJP in Uttar Pradesh. Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones on others,” Mr Kitchloo asserted.
The Chief Minister has also announced immediate relief to the maximum of Rs 2 lakh each to those whose houses have been damaged or gutted and shops looted during the clashes in various parts of Jammu division.
Meanwhile, trouble erupted in Kishtwar town, which reeled under curfew for fourth consecutive day today, when police arrested a youth Sajjan Kumar from Hadyal Chowk, who had come out of his house. Locals alleged that he was beaten-up and taken to police station.
To protest detention of the innocent youth by the police, about 600 to 700 people including women and children came out of their houses at Hadyal, Matta, Kuleed, Sarkoot and Bassar and defied curfew shouting slogans against police officials whom they charged with further vitiating atmosphere and targeting youth of minorities unnecessarily.
The people subjected the police personnel to stone pelting causing injuries to three of them including Additional SP Kishtwar Kulbir Singh. Five civilians were injured in rubber bullets and tear smoke shells fired by the police personnel to disperse the protesters, who had come out of their houses in defiance of curfew.
Army later patrolled the affected areas. Normalcy was restored in the areas this evening.
Authorities didn’t give any relaxation in curfew in Kishtwar town and outskirts for fourth consecutive day today. Troops patrolled sensitive areas of Kishtwar to maintain law and order. Barring Hadyal Chowk incident, curfew was not defied at any other area of Kishtwar, sources said describing situation as “well under control”.
The people in Kishtwar were, however, running short of essential commodities in Kishtwar town and outskirts due to indefinite curfew for the past four days. Authorities said a decision on relaxation on curfew in Kishtwar hasn’t been taken so far.
Meanwhile, official sources said, all pilgrims of Machail Mata Ji, stranded at Gulabgarh and other places in Kishtwar, have been transported to safer destinations in Udhampur, Jammu and places amid tight security cover provided by the Army. It took authorities three nights to clear all stranded pilgrims from Gulabgarh, Gool and other places.
Sources said if some pilgrims were still stranded, they too would be cleared tonight.
The yatra to Machail Mata Ji remained suspended from Jammu and Kishtwar for fourth consecutive day today in view of curfew and Kishtwar tension..
Pilgrimage to Shri Amarnath ji shrine in South Kashmir Himalayas in Anantnag district and Budda Amarnath ji shrine in Poonch district also remained suspended from Yatri Niwas, Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu Base Camp for fourth day, sources said.
Pilgrimage to Shri Amarnath ji shrine would resume tomorrow under the protection of Army while the yatra of Shri Budda Amarnath ji shrine and Machail Mata Ji would remain suspended.
Meanwhile, curfew continued in Jammu district without any relaxation for third consecutive day today. Curfew was imposed in Jammu on Saturday night after protests and violence.
Troops remained deployed in sensitive areas of Jammu and were assisted by CRPF and police in maintenance of law and order. No major incident of violence was reported from any part of Jammu district today though people defied curfew briefly and held protests at some places. The protesters dispersed peacefully.
At village Bhagatpur in Pouni Chak area, Raipur under the jurisdiction of Domana police station, the people damaged vehicles of milk sellers, who retaliated and burnt two motor bikes of the protesters. Later, the mob damaged three vehicles of the milk sellers. The incident took place in early hours of the morning.
Yesterday also, the two groups had clashed at Teli Mohalla, near Bhagatpur, Raipur after the people of one community had refused to shut their shops. Later, the mob had torched a TATA Sumo.
Late in the evening, the mob burnt tyres and indulged in sloganeering outside the house of former Councilor Aslam Shah at Janipura. A tiff took place between Shah and protesters. Locals alleged that Shah took out the weapon but the people continued to protest. The panicked family of Shah rang up police. Additional DGP (Co-ordination) PL Gupta and DIG Jammu-Kathua range Shakeel Beig along with senior officers rushed to the spot and defused the tension.
Order was restored in the area after about an hour.
In Jagti, Kashmiri migrants held a demonstration defying curfew. Police dispersed the mob.
Curfew was not strictly enforced in rural areas, where normalcy prevailed except at some places where the youths burnt tyres and blocked roads.
There was no let up in the protests in towns and rural areas, where curfew was not strict. The protesters shouted slogans against the Government and burnt its effigies at some places.
Speaking to reporters late this evening, Principal Secretary (Home) Suresh Kumar accompanied by IGP Jammu Rajesh Kumar said Amarnath yatra would resume tomorrow.
Mr Kumar said authorities were planning to relax curfew in Jammu tomorrow but some organisations have extended the bandh call for tomorrow.
“Authorities have decided to continue curfew tomorrow. However, situation will be reviewed tomorrow on giving relaxation,” he said.
Mr Kumar said 11 persons involved in riots have been arrested in Kishtwar. He added that today’s trouble in Kishtwar was sparked off by the arrest of a youth involved in the riots. The people had objected to his arrest.
He said an Additional SP and a Probationer SI were injured in stoning by the mob.
To a question on disarming of Village Defence Committees (VDCs), Mr Kumar said the VDCs have licensed weapons and there was no question of disarming them.
Traffic on Jammu-Srinagar, Jammu-Pathankote and Batote-Kishtwar National Highways remained suspended for third consecutive day today. Traffic on Jammu-Rajouri road plied partially. Private vehicles, however, plied on the National Highways.
In Samba district, curfew was relaxed in all areas from 4 pm to 7 pm. The relaxation period passed off peacefully. People held a protest demonstration at Samba town and burnt effigy of the Government.
In Kathua district, authorities didn’t give any relaxation in curfew in Kathua town. However, in all other towns including Bani, Basohli, Billawar and Hiranagar, curfew was relaxed from 5 pm to 7 pm. Army remained deployed in Kathua district.
In Doda district, no relaxation was given in curfew in Bhaderwah, Gandoh, Thathri and Prem Nagar areas. There was no curfew in Doda town.
Deputy Commissioner, Doda Mubarak Singh said situation in entire Doda district was normal. A decision on curfew relaxation will be taken tomorrow, he added.
In Reasi, curfew was relaxed from 5 pm to 7 pm but relaxation period was subsequently extended up to 8 pm.
Deputy Commissioner, Reasi Shahid Iqbal and SSP Reasi Raghubir Singh held a meeting with prominent citizens and stressed for peace. The people assured their cooperation to the officials.
The people took out protest march from Chowk Chabutra to Bus Stand and burnt effigy of Finance Minister P Chidambaram for his statement in Rajya Sabha and the State Government.
A bandh was observed in Arnas, Pouni, Ransu, Barakh and Chasana area in protest against Kishtwar violence.
In Udhampur district, curfew was relaxed in the morning from 7 am to 9 am and 6 pm to 8 pm. No untoward incident was reported during relaxation period. In the afternoon, the BJP leaders led by Pawan Gupta and Pawan Khajuria defied curfew and held a protest against the Government. The Panthers Party Students Union also defied curfew to stage protest. They dispersed peacefully.
In Sunderbani town of Rajouri district, curfew was relaxed from 4 pm to 9 pm. However, no relaxation was given in Rajouri town. People held a demonstration in Rajouri town to protest Kishtwar violence.
In Ramban, where there was no curfew, minorities observed bandh in Ramban and Batote towns in support of minorities in Kishtwar. Banihal people downed their shutters in response to the call by the separatists.
Internet services on mobile telephone remained suspended for second day.
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