Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 30: Pahalgam today observed a shutdown over the alleged high handedness of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel at Chandanwari Amarnath yatra camp.
The CRPF men went on a rampage following an altercation with taxi drivers at Chandanwari yatra camp this morning. The business establishments in Pahalgam observed shut down soon after the news about the CRPF personnel thrashing the drivers reached there.
SSP Anantnag, R K Jalla said that some “miscreants” took advantage of the misunderstanding between the drivers and the CRPF personnel and created law and order problem by pelting stones. “We have registered a case and started investigations. The situation is normal now,” Jalla said.
Eyewitnesses said that an altercation broke out between CRPF personnel and taxi drivers at Chandanwari over repeated security frisking of the vehicles carrying Amarnath pilgrims.
CRPF jawans thrashed one driver which was resented by other drivers, leading to clashes, the eyewitnesses said. The drivers started pelting stones at the CRPF personnel, who allegedly went on a rampage by smashing window panes of 15 vehicles including that of the SHO Pahalgam police station.
DIG CRPF Neeraj Kumar said here the CRPF Company responsible has been shifted and investigations have been initiated in the incident.
Kumar said that the shrine board had erected a gate in Chandanwari beyond which no vehicle was allowed. He said that there was some altercation and CRPF jawans posted there intervened resulting in rampage by the mob. They ransacked a bunker of the CRPF, which retaliated. In the process, several vehicles were damaged.
As the issue was sorted out the gate was thrown open for the yatris and the Amarnath yatra resumed thereafter.
Meanwhile, an official spokesman said that some minor altercation took place at Chandanwari, Anantnag between some sumo drivers and some CRPF men posted there.
The spokesman said that hearing about the incident Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, Farooq Ahmad Shah and SSP Anantnag R. K Jalla rushed to the spot and convened meeting with all the concerned following which the contingent of CRPF posted there was removed with immediate effect. He said the business resumed as usual at the site afterwards.
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