JAMMU: Over 30 persons including some women were injured here last week as jawans of the Jammu and Kashmir Police resorted to lathicharge and opened fire at a mob of villagers, who were protesting over the arrest of some “innocent” persons by the police on the charge of involvement in militant actives. Seven persons got bullet injuries they were admitted to Jammu Medical College Hospital, while those who received injuries by lathicharge were discharged after first aid. In hospital, two of the injured were stated to be in serious condition.
Deputy Commissioner S.R. Kapoor and Senior Superintendent of Police S.M. Sahai, however, denied firing charge. To substantiate his claim, the DE said, “We had not issued orders for firing.” Even as the S denied that the police fired on the demonstrators, many people standing nearby the spot alleged that the firing continued for about two hours, Giving details of the incident, sources said that a police party, on orders of the SSP, picked up five persons from village Makwal near here, last week on the charges of their alleged links with militants. The arrested villagers included Gulzar Singh, Numberdar of the village, Ram Lal, Hari Singh alias Bittu, a shopkeeper, Devi Dass and Harbans Singh.
Article extracted from this publication >> July 10, 1996
