Excelsior Correspondent
RAJOURI, Feb 27: The people held strong demonstration and locked the office of SDM at Thannamandi town in protest against the posting of new SDM to the office.
The trouble started after the newly posted SDM Mohd Afzal Mirza arrived there to join his new posting at Thannamandi. The people were already on protest for the last three days over the issue. They had been assured by the DC Rajouri and MLA Qamar Choudhary to retain Abdul Qayoom Mir as SDM there as he was shifted within 5-6 months. The people wanted that he should not be shifted being good administration and public friendly officer.
As the new SDM Mohd Afzal Mirza, after his transfer from Surankote arrived here alongwith some police force to join new duty, the people blocked road and started protest demonstration at around 11 am. The people put a lock on the SDM office and sat on dharna. The market was also closed in the town as mark of protest.
The public launched a strong protest demonstration and raised slogans against PDP, Chief Minister, local MLA Qamar Choudhary and DC Rajouri. They alleged that despite assurance by the DC and PDP MLA two days back, the new officer was sent along with police force to facilitate his joining. They alleged that both tried to befool the public. Sensing trouble some more police force was sent by the administration for the protection of the SDM trapped there. He had been taken to the office Tehsildar.
The public warned that they will not allow any other officer to join there until the old officer is retained. Later, Additional DC Rajouri Mumtaz Ahmed reached there and talked to the people. He took SDM back to DC office at around 2 pm along with him and appealed to the public not to resort to any violent activity. The market was reopened in the afternoon.
The people raised tents in the SDM office complex and sat on indefinite dharna. They declared that SDM office will not be allowed to function and indefinite dharna will not be lifted till Qayoom Mir is sent back to the office. The 24-hour dharna with nearly 200 people at the site was going on till late this evening.
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