Anti-PDD protests in Budgam, Police resorts to aerial firing

KL Report

SRINAGAR

Police resorted to aerial firing and bursted dozens of tear-smoke shells to disperse hundreds of protestors in Draigam area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district who were protesting against the erratic power supply in the area. Meanwhile, scores of residents from Raiyar, Beerwah staged a protest outside Deputy Commissioner’s office Budgam alleging that the area is reeling under darkness and there is no ration available at the depots from past several weeks, a local news gathering agency said.

Eyewitnesses said that hundreds of villagers including men, women, children and youth from Draigam Budgam took to streets and amid anti-government and anti-PDD slogans staged a massive protest. The protestors blocked the road leading to the disruption of traffic.

“The protestors got violent when police charged them with canes and resorted to stone-pelting. The clashes between protestors and police continued for hours. People used tear smoke shells to disperse the agitated protestors, however, the stiffness exhibited by protestors forced police to resort to aerial firing that created panic in the area,” it said.

Locals alleged that police barged into houses and thrashed women and old without any provocation.

“Our area is reeling under continuous darkness and we demand that power be supplied to us from Kanir receiving station. To protest against injustice is our right but police arrested many youth and beat us to pulp,” a resident said.

When contacted a police official said that the protestors had disrupted the traffic and police used resorted to mild lathicharge to disperse them.

Meanwhile, scores of residents of Raiyar Beerwah held demonstrations outside DC office Budgam alleging that the area is lacking every facility and there is non-availability of ration and power due to which people are suffering continuously. District administration officials assured them there problems would be addressed at an earliest.

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