Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 5: Various political, social and other organizations condemned the killing of a youth in police action at Ranibagh in Jammu on Friday and demanded inquiry into the whole episode.
Some of the organizations also demanded transfers of senior police and civil officials from the Jammu district besides registration of an FIR in this connection. They have also appealed for maintaining peace and communal harmony in the region.
Pradesh Congress Committee has expressed serious concern over the situation in which a youth has been killed and several others have been injured following clashes between police and minority community resulting into death of a youth and injuries to several others. PCC has demanded high level probe into the incident.
Expressing deep concern and anguish over the death in police firing, senior leaders of the PCC have conveyed their deep sympathies to the bereaved family members. They said that the incident and the situation which has emerged is the result of mishandling by the State Government and administration, as this could have been averted by the timely and proper handling of the matter. They also demanded adequate compensation to the bereaved family and those injured. They appealed to maintain peace and harmony at all costs.
Prominent among those who expressed their concern include Sham Lal Sharma, Mula Ram, Raman Bhalla, Kanta Bhan, Ravinder Sharma, Balwan Singh, Yogesh Sawhney, Ch Shah Mohammad, Vikram Malhotra, Manmohan Singh, Manjit Singh, Namrata Sharma, Maheshwar Singh, Anil Chopra, Mehrajuddin Zargar, Neeraj Gupta and others.
Senior, Congress leader and former Minister RS Chib paid visit to the house of deceased youth killed in police firing, at his home village Chuhala in R S Pura today and expressed his sympathy with the bereaved family. Mr Chib said that incident is the outcome of the mishandling of the situation by police men on duty. He said the situation could have been averted by maintaining maximum restraint. He demanded adequate compensation for the family and inquiry into the matter.
Senior NPP leader and member of NIC, Prof Bhim Singh, Harshdev Singh- former Minister and Balwant Singh Mankotia, NPP president condemned brutal killing of young man, Jagjeet Singh in Jammu yesterday while the people were protesting against police.
The NPP leaders demanded high power judicial inquiry and a compensation of Rs one crore to the family of the deceased young man who has been killed ruthlessly. They said right to protest, express views and right to speech is fundamental right of every citizen and its denial is an offence.
The NPP leaders accused PDP-BJP Government for creating such a situation in the peace-loving city of temples by such dastardly acts to divert the attention of the citizens in Jammu from the real issues and upper most is the AIIMS.
In a joint appeal, Minister of State for Education, Culture and Information Priya Sethi and senior BJP leader Yudhvir Sethi today called upon people to maintain communal harmony, peace and brotherhood.
Expressing deep sorrow and anguish on the loss of precious life of youth, they said the unfortunate incident should not disturb the social fabric of the society and forces inimical to disturb peace should be defeated at all costs, adding that the age old tradition of amity, brotherhood and mutual co-existence should be maintained.
BJP State general secretary and MLA Kathua, Rajiv Jasrotia said that the Government would take all measures to restore calm in the clash-hit areas of Jammu, the political leadership and the civil society as a whole have an important role in bringing back normalcy and harmony in the affected areas. Expressing satisfaction over the thaw in the situation, he hoped that normalcy will prevail in shortest possible time. Highlighting the role of civil society and political leadership in such challenging times, Jasrotia said that the Government and all political parties besides the civil society have to work together for restoring peace. Expressing his deep concern and pain over loss of precious human life, he called upon the people to maintain brotherhood and communal harmony at any cost to frustrate designs of the forces inimical to peace.
Meanwhile, a large number of people on the appeal of Mahant Manjit Singh Ji, under the banner of J&K Sikh United Front, Shiromani Akhali Dal, Bhai Kanaya Nishkam Seva Society (AISSF), Sikh Noujawan Sabha, Sikh Welfare Society and Ex-members of DGPC Jammu and nominated candidates for coming Gurudwara election of Jammu District assembled here and strongly criticized the State Govt for killing of a innocent youth namely Jagjeet Singh, son of Narvir Singh of Village Chawala in R S Pura. Sudershan Singh Wazir, president, J&K Sikhs United Front and Ex- president, SGPB said that the police had deliberately fired on the innocent youths who were agitating against the unlawful action of the police. He further said that there is no ban in all over the country to observe the day in memory of June 1984 martyrs. Wazir condemned the administration and demanded shifting of all the top officers of police and civil administration. He also demanded to register a FIR against SSP Jammu and SHO concerned and demanded a judicial inquiry by a sitting judge of High Court.
Mahant Manjit Singh Ji of Dera Nangali Sahib, Poonch said that peaceful protests should be held continuously till the demands are accepted and also appealed the people to maintain communal harmony. He also thanked SGPC, Amritsar, Jathedar Sri Akal Takhat Sahib, Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee Delhi, Bar Association Jammu, Sikh Sangat of J&K and other communities for their cooperation and expressed deep shock over the killing and also expressed his sympathy with the bereaved family.
Shiromani Akali Dal National and Sikh United Council J&K also condemned the incident of killing of youth at Ranibagh in Jammu and demanded high level inquiry into the matter. They demanded registration of FIR and immediate shifting of senior officers in Jammu who failed to properly handle the situation. They also demanded compensation for the bereaved family and a Govt job for one members of the family. Leaders of these organizations also appealed for maintaining peace and communal harmony.
Expressing grief and sorrow over the killing of youth and stabbing of Police officer Rajiv Chuni, chairman of SOS International an organization of PoK refugees has appealed the people to maintain peace and communal harmony. He demanded that all those were involved in these incidents should be brought to justice.
Senior NC leader and former Poonch MLA Ajaz Jan in a statement has demanded judicial inquiry into the incident of killing of a youth and appealed the people to maintain communal harmony. He alleged that due to communal agenda of PDP and BJP such incidents are being encouraged to disturb peace in the state.
Former Minister and State president of NCP, Th Randhir Singh while expressing grief and sorrow over the killing of young man in police firing in Jammu appealed to the people to maintain communal harmony in the region. The senior members of the party in a meeting held here today condemned the incident and demanded adequate compensation for the bereaved family.