Palhallan Shuts Against ‘High-Handedness of Forces’

KL NEWS NETWORK

SRINAGAR

Palhallan area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district Wednesday witnessed a spontaneous shutdown against the alleged high-handedness of Para-military Central Reserve Police Force who according to locals attacked Abu-Bakr (RA) Masjid with stones smashing its windowpanes at a time when forces deployed in the town were withdrawing during evening hours.

The incident sparked a spontaneous shutdown while hundreds of youth blocked Srinagar-Baramulla road disrupting vehicular movement. Police in a bid to restore the traffic, resorted to tear-gas shelling, however, the agitated youth attacked police and CRPF personnel with stones. The clashes between forces and protesters left many people injured. A youth identified as Zakir Ahmed was injured when a tear-gas shell went off in his hand.

Eyewitnesses told CNS that administrative and police officials including SDM Pattan Abdul Qayoom Sheikh, SSP Baramulla Imtiyaz Hussain, SHO Pattan Sunil Singh and others rushed to spot to diffuse the situation. President, Traders Federation Palhallan, Ghulam Nabi Ahanger while holding CRPF personnel responsible for the unrest said that the situation in the town was peaceful when CRPF personnel attacked Abu-Bakr (RA) Masjid with stones and smashed its windowpanes. “The CRPF high handedness agitated people that resulted in the disruption of peace on Wednesday. We demand that a stern action should be taken against the ‘communal and guilty’ CRPF personnel,” Ahanger demanded.

Refuting the allegations, SSP Baramulla, Imtiyaz Hussain said that no such incident occurred in the town. “Actually, some youth who are ‘notorious’ stone-pelters want to put area on boil. They are habitual of resorting to stone-pelting and want to disrupt the peace and order in the town,” he said.

Another police official said that SDPO Pattan Farooq Ahmed was seriously injured and was shifted to Hyderbeg based Army Hospital after he was attacked by stone-pelters in the area. “Stone-pelters are responsible for the mess in the area. Police have been trying to bring normalcy but there are certain elements which don’t want peace should prevail in the town,” he said.

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