Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, July 4: Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) this evening used force to quell a protest demontration at the Baltal base camp of Amarnath Yatra after a CRPF canteen and makeshift bunker was set afire by a mob.
Sources said that there was an altercation between driver of two local Sumos and Amarnath yatris over fare. The yatris reportedly on reaching to the Baltal base camp reported the matter to 115 CRPF at the first check point.
Sources said that CRPF had an altercation with the driver and they beat up one of the drivers Ghulam Nabi Lone son of Sikandar Lone of Khanan Kangan. He was referred to SKIMS Srinagar for treatment.
The hawkers and Sumo drivers protested against the CRPF and set afire CRPF canteen and one makeshift bunker. They also pelted stones at CRPF and Police resulting in ding dong battles.
Police fired over a dozen tearsmoke shells and charged batons on the protesting drivers and hawkers in which one Sahil Ahmad was injured.
Tension also gripped Sonmarg, Kangan, Ganderbal, Gangangir as people came out in protest and pelted stones at passing vehicles and clashed with police. Several vehicles were damaged in stone pelting.
Residents of home village of the driver, Khanan came out in protest against the CRPF as news reached to the village. Police said that the condition of the driver is stable.
A police spokesman said here that in an altercation between a Sumo driver and security force personnel at Baltal, the Sumo driver identified as Ghulam Nabi Lone of Kangan got injured.
“After this incident, some miscreants pelted stones on deployment over there. The situation was brought under control. The Sumo driver was shifted to hospital where he is stable”, the spokesman added.
CEO SASB Navin Choudhary told the Excelsion that the Yatra would proceed from Baltal as per schedule tomorrow. He said condition of the injured driver was stable.
Meanwhile, 17,825 pilgrims performed darshan at holy cave of Swami Amarnath on day seventh of the yatra today. With this total yatris paying obeisance to Ice Lingam in cave shrine has reached 97,937 since the first day of darshan on June 28. Till yesterday evening 78,112 pilgrims had performed darshan in cave shrine.
Official spokesman said that 5,146 pilgrims left for cave shrine from Nunwan –Pahalgam base camp via traditional Chandanwri track while 7383 pilgrims left from shorter Baltal track.
A fresh batch of 2,176 yatris left the Bhagwati Nagar, Jammu base camp for holy cave early this morning under tight security arrangements. They included 1596 male, 456 females, 35 children and 87 Sadhus.
They left in a cavalcade of 81 vehicles and all the pilgrims had crossed the Jawahar tunnel by late in the evening and were on their way to future destinations, spokesman added.
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