Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, June 19: Around 900 policemen went on rampage in the Police Training School Manigam in Central Kashmir district of Ganderbal tonight after they were asked to go for Amarnath Yatra duty that begins later this month.
These Police men were recruited mostly from old city area of Srinagar as part of the government policy to absorb the city youth mostly stone pelters from down town area of Srinagar in Police to overcome law and order problem in city.
These youth were asked to report for Amarnath Yatra duty that begins from June 28 but they refused to join the duties and went on rampage. They broke the window of the Training Centre and the parked vehicles inside the Training Centre.
They were raising slogans against the police higher ups and alleged that they have been waiting for the passing out parade for past over a year.
They have blocked the Srinagar-Leh National Highway and some of the officers inside the training centre are caught inside. However, they are said to be safe.
Police from Kangan and nearby Ganderbal rushed to the spot and they are on either side of the Highway watching from a distance.
Top police officers are working out a strategy to deal with the situation. Some of them from Srinagar have also rushed to the spot and are assessing the situation.
A large contingent of Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police was rushed in and some of the protesting cops have been pushed inside the Training Centre and locked in the barracks while some of them were still protesting when reports last reached in.
Reports said that around 300 of these police men are from old city area, mostly from Eidgah constituency of Chief Minister’s Adisor Mubarak Gul and over 200 from Khanyar constituency of Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar.
It may be mentioned here that in early 2011, police went for massive recruitment drive of youth in old city areas of downtown in police department. Most of these youth were stone pelters and a top cop at that time said that the special drive is aimed at ending unrest in Kashmir valley especially in the sensitive areas.
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