Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, Sept 7: The local residents today staged a massive protest and blocked National Highway against seeking action against culprits who attacked two local youths in Samba, one week ago.
The road blockade continued for more than two hours.
The protesters led by civil society member Captain (retd) Inder Singh assembled at Main Chowk in Samba and raised slogans against police authorities.
The protesters informed that several times they met with the police authorities and appealed them to replace the Investigating Officer (IO) in the case and take action against those involved in the attack, but no heed were paid to our pleas.
The police have not arrested all culprits. “We demand an independent enquiry into the whole episode. The authorities must ensure the safety and dignity of the common man”, Captain Inder Singh said.
He said if the police failed to arrest and initiate probe against the culprits, they would intensify the agitation.
However when contacted the SSP Samba, Anil Magotra told Excelsior that they had arrested the culprit but he was given the interim bail by the court despite the argument by the prosecution that the bail be rejected as police has to recover the weapons from him.
He said the Investigating Officer (IO) in the case was replaced by another IO today on the demand of the people. The SSP said that the two youth traveling on a scooty and motor cycle respectively collided with each other a week back and the person who fell down caught hold of another one who hit him. A scuffle took place and one youth thrashed another.
Both the youth were from the Samba. One was from market area and another was from Mandi, he added .
He said the people demanded that the youth be arrested and FIR registered. The Samba Police registered the FIR and arrested the youth also but he got interim bail from court of law.
He said the people who demanded arrest of youth informed police that he was a criminal and showed us a photo from face book of the youth keeping pistol in his pocket and sharp edged weapon Khukri in his hands. This was the photo of four -five years back. Police was on job to investigate the matter and recover the weapons, he added.
He said the people have leveled the allegation that the role of the police was not good which however is not the fact.
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