*Mob stabs another cop, snatches AK-47
Sanjeev Pargal
-Excelsior/Rakesh
JAMMU, June 4: Authorities imposed an indefinite curfew under the jurisdiction of Satwari and Miran Sahib police stations and called out Army, which staged flag march in disturbed areas late this evening, after police firing on the protesters left one civilian dead and four others injured while nearly 25 police personnel and protesters were wounded in fierce clashes between agitated mob and cops at Ranibagh on Jammu-RS Pura road under the jurisdiction of Satwari police station during the day today.
The mob was protesting removal of the posters of Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale from a flex hoarding at Ranibagh by the police personnel for second consecutive day today. Police opened firing as mob didn’t lift the road blockade and indulged in stone pelting. Protesters, however, described the police firing as totally unprovoked. Some people also fired upon a barber with an air gun.
Soon after the killing of youth in police firing, the people from particular community hit the streets at Rajbagh, Hatli Morh and Lachipur in Kathua district on Jammu-Pathankot National Highway and disrupted traffic. People also downed shutters in Nanak Nagar, Gole Gujral and Talab Tillo and burnt tyres to protest the killing of youth.
In another serious incident after the stabbing of Sub Inspector Arun Sharma yesterday, the mob stabbed police constable Joginder Pal son of Tarsem Lal (Belt No. 2101J) R/o Mirpur, Kathua, who was posted as PSO with DySP East Mohammad Rafiq on his hand and chin and snatched his AK-47 rifle at Digiana tonight during the protests against killing of the youth. Mob pounced upon police constable Joginder Pal at Digiana, stabbed him with sharp-edged weapon, snatched his AK-47 rifle in the melee and fled away from the spot, sources said, adding that police have launched all out hunt to recover the weapon but it hadn’t been traced till midnight tonight. Accused also remained untraced.
Defence spokesman Col Manish Mehta told the Excelsior that Army has moved out in the areas from Satwari to RS Pura tonight on requisition of the district administration to restore confidence among the people and help police and para-military in maintenance of law and order.
“Soon after the deployment, Army staged flag march from Satwari to RS Pura to instill confidence among the people. The district administration had requisitioned the Army for the purpose,” Col Mehta said, adding that normalcy has been restored in all disturbed areas following deployment of troops and flag march staged by them in curfew bound areas from Satwari to Kullian.
In rest of the areas of Jammu District, Deputy Commissioner, Jammu, Simrandeep Singh said he has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC, which bars assembly of four or more persons.
Sources said that police resorted to lathicharge and teargas shelling on the people protesting at Ranibagh on Jammu-RS Pura road right from the morning for second consecutive day today demanding action against the police personnel responsible for removing posters of Jarnail Singh Bindrawale from the flex hoarding, whose 31st death anniversary the people wanted to observe on June 6.
Police opened lathicharge and teargas on the mob, which refused to relent and continued to pelt stones on the police personnel, causing injuries to many of them. Situation was further aggravated when someone from the mob fired with an air gun at a barber Om Prakash son of Sat Pal, a resident of Miran Sahib, at Raya Morh, causing him injuries, sources said.
As the mob continued to subject the police personnel and vehicles to heavy stone pelting causing injuries to the cops and damaging several passing and parked vehicles, the police personnel opened firing to disperse them. A civilian was killed and four others were injured in the firing.
The civilian killed in the firing has been identified as Jagjit Singh, 34, son of Narvir Singh R/o Chohala, RS Pura. The injured hit by bullets included Avneet Singh, 28, son of Gurdev Singh R/o Chatha Pind, Inderjeet Singh son of Bhupinder Singh R/o Dashmesh Nagar, Digiana, Gurdev Singh, 35, son of Bhupinder Singh R/o Simbal Camp and Om Prakash, 22, son of Sat Pal R/o Miran Sahib.
Om Prakash was injured in firing with air gun by the mob while others were hit by the bullets fired by police personnel.
Body of the deceased Jagjit Singh has been kept in the Government Medical College (GMC) Jammu for post-mortem, which will be conducted tomorrow. Preliminary reports revealed that Jagjit Singh had died on spot after being directly hit by the bullets fired by the cops.
Authorities have decided to set up a Medical Board in the GMC tomorrow for post-mortem on the body of Jagjit Singh.
Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Pawan Kotwal, who chaired a high level meeting of prominent citizens of all communities at Police Control Room (PCR) tonight, said the representatives of Sikhs were demanding suspension of SSP Jammu Uttam Chand and SHO Satwari Inspector Kulbir Singh Choudhary for mishandling the situation and firing on the protesters. They were also demanding registration of FIR against the police.
“The demands will be conveyed to the Government,” he said.
Apart from bullet injuries, more than 25 police personnel and protesters sustained injuries in the clashes. While the mob subjected the cops to stone pelting, the police personnel used lathicharge and teargas to chase away the protesters, who has blocked Jammu-RS Pura road since this morning, like yesterday.
The people dispersed after police firing and announcement of curfew under the jurisdiction of Satwari and Miran Sahib police stations by the district administration. The areas, where curfew has been clamped, included Satwari, Gadigarh, Ranibagh, Bhour Camp, Simbal Camp, Chatha and surroundings. “The areas from Satwari to Kullian have been brought under curfew,” sources said, adding that prohibitory orders under Section 144 CrPC have been imposed in Gole Gujral area near Talab Tillo, where the mob took to streets in protest against the killing of youth.
Soon after the report of killing of youth spread, people of particular community hit the roads at Rajbagh, Hatli Morh and Lachipur in Kathua district on Jammu-Pathankot National Highway and blocked traffic. They were shouting slogans against police and State Government for firing on peacefully protesting people and demanded stern action against the cops responsible for firing and removal of the posters.
They blocked the Highway for nearly three hours but dispersed peacefully. Police had made elaborate security arrangements at the site of protests but there was no report of any violence or untoward incident by the people. Traffic on the Highway was restored at about 8 pm.
The people also downed shutters and held protests at Nanak Nagar and Gole Gujral against the police firing. Similar protests also took place at various other places.
Sources said several police personnel were hit by stones pelted by the mob at Ranibagh causing injuries to them during day long clashes. Of them, Rakesh Kumar, constable and Manmit Singh, SPO, were admitted in the GMC Jammu with serious injuries while other police personnel were treated at Gandhi Nagar hospital with minor injuries.
Yesterday, Gadigarh Police Post Incharge Sub Inspector Arun Sharma was stabbed by the mob and was being treated upon in the GMC Jammu for ruptured intestines. SHO Satwari Inspector Kulbir Singh Choudhary and two other police personnel were also injured yesterday.
Police have strengthened security arrangements in all parts of Jammu to ensure that trouble didn’t flare up in other areas.
Follow our WhatsApp channel