Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Sept 14: Communal tension erupted in Rajouri town this evening following incidents of ransacking and trying to set some business establishments on fire amidst heavy stone pelting and provocative sloganeering by the miscreants thus forcing the District Administration to impose curfew restriction in the town while Army was also called out for assisting the local police.
“Even as curfew has been imposed in the town and Army has also moved out, the situation is under control and a strict vigil is being maintained to ensure that miscreants may not create more trouble,” said DIG Rajouri-Poonch Johnny Williams, who along with other senior police officers rushed to the spot for personally monitoring the situation.
Reports said that the violent mob resorted to heavy stone pelting and provocative sloganeering besides trying to set on fire some business establishments of a particular community in the town. The miscreants ransacked R K Hotel and R K General Store near Air Field while stockroom of Yougal Sons at City Chowk Rajouri was set on fire by throwing burning tyres on rooftop of the showroom. Kusum Pen Store and Malhotra Crockery at City Chowk were also set on fire by the miscreants and the blazes hadn’t been controlled till last reports came in.
To quell the mob, police fired several round of teargas shells but the miscreants spread to other areas resorting to violence.
Meanwhile, District Magistrate, Rajouri, Shabir Ahmed Bhat has denied the rumours being spread on a section of social media regarding alleged sacrilegious act and clarified that camel meat was recovered from passengers in a commercial vehicle which led to some rumours being spread following which clashes erupted in some parts of Rajouri town prompting the District Administration to impose curfew in the town to avoid any loss of life and property.
He added that Army has also been called out for flag march.
The trouble erupted this evening when three persons were allegedly beaten up by a group on the suspicion of carrying flesh of sacred animal. The incident took place at Jawahar Nagar and even as police party immediately reached the spot and seized the flesh, which turned out to be of a sacrificial animal, the news of alleged beating up soon spread like a wildfire in the town triggering tension and strong protest by some persons at Gujjar Mandi.
The protesting people also tried to march towards Jawahar Nagar but Police stopped them at Panja Chowk and sought to pacify the agitators by assuring registration of FIR and arrest of the accused.
However, the protesting people insisted for immediate arrest of the accused persons and meanwhile some miscreants among the mob resorted to provocative sloganeering as well as stone pelting. Even as DIG Johnny Williams and SSP Rajouri, Rajeshwar Singh along with ADC Rajouri Mumtaz Ahmad had also reached the spot by then and they tried to pacify the mob but all in vain.
The violent mob ransacked R K General Stone and R K Hotel near Air Field and then moved towards the old town where they set stock room of Yougal Sons and nearby Kusum Pen Store on fire.
Even as Police tried to control the miscreants and fired several round of teargas shells, the situation turned out of control thus forcing the District Administration to enforce strict curfew restrictions in the entire town.
On request of the district administration, Army was also called out to assist the State Police and till last reports came in, the situation was tense but under control.
Meanwhile, district police Rajouri under supervision of SSP Rajeshwar Singh has initiated investigation into the matter of instigation of mob leading to damage to property. A case has been registered in the matter.
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