Indefinite curfew was declared in parts of Jammu following the killing of a Sikh youth
Sikh protesters pelt stones at police officials after they removed a poster of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale from Rani Bagh near the airport in Jammu on Thursday. (Photo: PTI)
Srinagar: Indefinite curfew was declared in parts of Jammu following the killing of a Sikh youth in police firing on Thursday. Police and CRPF reinforcements have been rushed in as clashes between groups of irate Sikh youth and the police spread to several areas in Satwari belt, on the outskirts of the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, during the past two days.
The clashes were triggered after the police removed a “provocative” flex hoarding with a life-size photograph of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale ahead of his death anniversary on June 6. The police had removed posters about a programme organised in the Rani Bagh area to commemorate the anniversary.
But soon groups of angry Sikhs took to the streets on Wednesday, attacking policemen with sticks and kirpans. They also blocked the road at Rani Bagh near Gadigarh in protest. During the clashes, the sub-inspector in charge of Gadigarh police post, Arun Sharma, was stabbed by one of the agitating youth, causing him serious injuries.
In the stone-pelting, Satwari SHO inspector Kulbir Singh Choudhary and two other policemen were also injured, reports said. Though the situation was soon brought under control and an uneasy calm prevailed in the area, the Sikh community accused the police of removing the posters of the proposed programme that had appeared in the area afresh earlier on Thursday. They also accused the police and other law-enforcing authorities of inflicting atrocities on protesting residents.
With that groups of slogan-chanting Sikh youth again took to the streets on Thursday, triggering fresh clashes. Officials said the police had to open fire to quell a violent mob which attacked them with kirpans and lathis at Gadigarh, eight km from Jammu city centre, killing one person, Jagjeet Singh.
A report said four others were injured in the shooting. In fresh clashes over a dozen people, including several policemen, were also injured, reports said.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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