Traffic disrupted on Highway due to students’ protest

Excelsior Correspondent
BANIHAL, Apr 18: The vehicular movement on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was disrupted today for several hours by a large number of students and locals, who staged protest against CRPF personnel.
As a precautionary measure, district authorities of Ramban have ordered closure of Degree College Ramban and Higher Secondary Schools (Boys/Girls) for next two days with effect from April 19.
According to the reports, a CRPF convoy was on its way from Srinagar to Jammu this morning when on reaching Chreel area in outskirts of Banihal town, some school/college students travelling in a van passed some abusive words to the CRPF personnel, to which the security personnel objected leading to a scuffle between the students and CRPF personnel, who exchanged heated words.
Later, the students, who were about 50 in number moved to Banihal town and staged a protest on National Highway demanding action against the CRPF personnel. The protesting students also tried to block the National Highway. Meanwhile, a police team from Banihal police station reached the spot and tried to pacify the students and asked them to lift the blockade but when the students refused, the police resorted to mild lathicharge to disperse them.
Though the students dispersed at that time but after half an hour they along with other fellow students as well as local people and traders again blocked the National Highway at the same spot.  They were demanding registration of FIR against CRPF personnel and shifting of local police officers/officials, who resorted to lathicharge.
After remaining suspended for over six hours, the traffic on the National Highway could be restored at about 4.30 pm after a meeting between senior police officers including SSP Ramban, Mohal Lal and representatives of agitation students, religious leaders and trade leaders, during which the SP assured a fair and impartial probe into the matter by ordering a departmental inquiry to be conducted by SP Ramban. At the same time, DC Ramban, Mohd Aijaz also ordered a magisterial inquiry to be conducted by SDM Banihal into the whole episode, the report of which will be submitted within 3 days.
Meanwhile, district president of National Conference, Ramban, Sajjad Shaheen and provincial president, Youth National Conference, Aijaz Jan, expressed concern over the use of excessive force against peacefully agitating students and sought immediate action against the accused security personnel.

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