Police lobs tear gas shells, cane-charge protesters in Surankote

Violence during anti-encroachment drive

Excelsior Correspondent
POONCH, Oct 13: The police resorted to cane-charge protesting people and also lobbed few rounds of tear gas shells when these protesters obstructed the anti-encroachment drive launched by Sub Divisional Administration at Parnai Hydel Power Project site near Draba area of Surankote this morning.
Sources said that heavy contingent of Police and CRPF led by SDM Surankote Salim Qureshi, SDPO Mohd Reyaz, Tehsildar concerned and SHO Surankote reached the site where some families have opposed the construction of approach road to the Parnai Hydel Power project site. The officials said that for the last one and half year, the project work has been delayed as these families are not allowing construction of approach road to the tunnel site near Mastan Darra, despite the fact that they have taken the land compensation.
The protesting families, however, alleged that only elders brother of these families, has been given the compensation while others have not received any thing from the Govt. They had re-occupied the land and were not allowing work to the R&B authorities since long.
Today on the directions of the DC Poonch, the team led by SDM and SDPO Surankote organized operation and cleared the area by dismantling the structures with the help of JCB. Some of the family members way laid and also resorted to stone pelting on the team, showing resistance but the police resorted to mild lathi-charge and also lobbed few smoke shells to quell the violent protesters.
SDPO, Reyaz when contacted said that this bottle neck was cleared today as some families were not allowing work on the approach road to Parnai project site even after receiving land compensation about two years back. They had gone to the court also and court had given clear directions to go ahead with the work. He said police had to use little force and also lobbed a few smoke shells when the villagers turned violent. He said no one was injured during the operation and the bottle neck on this road was cleared today.

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