JAMMU : Three people were killed and several others, including security personnel, injured in stone-pelting and the resultant firing today when a mob attacked a BSF camp in Ramban district over alleged high-handedness by a patrolling party.
The patrolling party of BSF deployed for the security of the (railway) project intercepted a youth roaming under suspicious circumstances in the Daram belt of Gool tehsil at around 1 A.M. Today, Minister of State for Home, Sajjad Ahmed Kitchloo said here.
The youth, identified as one Shabir, was questioned about his presence in the area and may have been beaten up by the security personnel, Kitchloo said.
He said the disturbance was fuelled by statements of a moulvi of a local madrasa who alleged that the security personnel had committed a sacrilege, inciting the people.
Stone pelting by the large mob which attacked the BSF camp led to injuries to a few BSF men, Kitchloo said.
Police was rushed to the spot to control the mob which, however, turned violent.
The firing left three persons dead and four others injured, he said.
The injured have been hospitalised and the situation is under control, he said, adding that the entire area has been sealed off.
Kitchloo said that he will fly to the area along with DGP Ashok Prasad and Divisional Commissioner (Jammu), Pradeep Gupta, to review the security situation.
Meanwhile, hardline Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani has given the call for a three-day general strike and protests, beginning tomorrow, against the firing incident.
A complete shutdown will be observed on July 19, 20 and 21 against the firing incident, a Hurriyat Conference spokesman said, adding that Geelani had appealed to people to stage demonstrations after Friday prayers tomorrow.
The moderate faction of Hurriyat Conference headed by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and the JKLF headed by Yasin Malik, too, issued calls for a one-day strike tomorrow.
Malik, in the meantime, was detained as he tried to lead a protest rally in Srinagar against the incident in Ramban district.
The leader of a separate JKLF faction, Javid Ahmad Mir, too, was detained when he made an attempt to lead a protest march.
The detention of the JKLF leaders sparked clashes between angry protesters and law enforcement agencies in the Maisuma area of Srinagar and led to a snap strike in the commercial hub of Lal Chowk and its vicinity. (AGENCIES)
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