Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Nov 29: Seven people including SHO Rajbagh and a cop were injured in a clash at Chadwal today after police resorted to lathi charge on protesting mob who blocked the Jammu -Pathankot National Highway for three hours this afternoon in protest against the murderous assault on Sarpanch Banyari by Gujjars yesterday.
The protesters from Banyari and surrounding village reached Chadwal after blocking all the internal roads in the morning to block the National Highway.
They clashed with police and squatted on National Highway protesting against the attack. They also demanded immediate arrest of Gujjars led by Makhandin who attacked the Sarpanch yesterday with lathis and inflicted grievous injuries on his person.
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As the NH remained blocked from 1 pm to 4pm, there was a huge traffic jam on the Highway and the local police was unable to control the situation so more police force from DPL Kathua was rushed to the area. Later police resorted to lathi charge to disperse the mob and remove the Highway blockade. The Police reinforcement was led by DySP Head Quarter SS Samyal. The police also fired teargas shells in the air to disperse the mob and this resulted into clash between police and mob who also resorted to stone pelting resulting in head injury to SHO Rajbagh, Inspector, Sarbjeet Singh and one cop who received an injury in the leg. Besides, five protestors were also injured and were hospitalized for treatment.
The SHO Rajbagh was admitted in District Hospital Kathua for treatment. The agitated mob also pelted stones on some vehicles and broke their window panes.
They also made an abortive bid to set a pick up van on fire. The mob shouting slogans were demanding immediate arrest of the goons who attacked on Sarpanch yesterday along with the kingpin.
They also demanded that the assurance given by DC Kathua yesterday to the people in the village that grazing land will be vacated should be fulfilled immediately.
Earlier the people of Banyari and adjoining villages assembled in Sanji More this morning and blocked different link roads including Rajbagh to Kathua link road.
The traffic on these routes remained off the road and the people in these villages also closed their business establishments in protest against the attack on Sarpanch. The protest continued from 10 am to 1 pm.
The protesters said that with the failure of Police to act against such goons and anti social elements they get encouraged and intensify their activities. They accused the police of its failure in arresting the attackers during last 24 hours. Later they proceeded towards the National Highway to block it.
Though police tried to disperse them at initial stage but the mob resisted the police action and blocked National Highway for three hours. Later more reinforcement was rushed to the spot from DPL Kathua to disperse the protesters.
Meanwhile, two persons who attacked SHO Rajbagh and injured him severely in the protest were also arrested and FIR was also registered against them. The police also arrested the accused namely Makhan Din S/o Sawar Din R/o Chak Desa Marheen and his accomplice involved in assault case of Sarpanch Rakesh Kumar in which FIR was registered in Police Station Rajbagh.
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