Conflict

Jammu: Curfew imposed for fifth consecutive day

Srinagar: Curfew was imposed for the fifth consecutive day since February 15 in Jammu, police said, as per an IANS report.

“The curfew imposed on February 15 will continue in Jammu today. A decision on its relaxation will be taken later in the day,” police sources cited in the report stated.

On Monday, authorities had temporarily relaxed the curfew from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., in parts of Jammu’s south city violence-hit areas. During that time, Section 144 had been by imposed.

Meanwhile, authorities have warned of strict action against people who are uploading fake, inflammatory posts and pictures on social media, as per the report.

Rakesh Gupta, President of the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was quoted as having said on Tuesday that all Kashmiris living in Jammu were safe, and added that it was the duty of all sections of the society to stand alongside their Kashmiri brothers and sisters.

ALSO READ: Jammu: Despite ‘curfew’, petrol bomb hurled on Kashmiris residing in Top Sharekhan area

He also warned those raising ‘anti-national’ slogans in Jammu, the report said.

“Jammu will not tolerate anything that goes against the interests of the country. Communal harmony, brotherhood between Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians is the bedrock of India and anybody trying to erode it would be playing directly into the hands of India’s enemies,” Gupta said, as per the report.

Protests took place on Saturday evening in the city’s Nai Basti, Bantalab, Domana and Parade ground areas, but were quickly brought under control.

The Indian Army has heightened security in Jammu city to maintain law and order.

ALSO READ: Jammu: Police detain Kashmiri man from quarters of Secretariat employees, ‘had gone to buy milk’, say employees, ‘was pelting stones’, say police

The curfew was imposed on Friday after miscreants torched vehicles and damaged several others carrying number plates of the Kashmir Valley in protest against Thursday’s killing of 49 CRPF troopers in a suicide attack in Pulwama by a Jaish-e-Mohammad militant.

A number of quarters belonging to Kashmiris in the Janipur area of Jammu were attacked by frenzied mobs, despite imposition of curfew in the city on Saturday.

“The mobs entered inside the premises and attacked quarters of Kashmiris while police remained a mute spectator,” they said, according to GNS.

Secretariat Employees Union President Ghulam Rasool Mir had condemned the attack and urged the administration to ensure the safety of the people from Kashmir and those from the particular community.

ALSO READ: ‘We were attacked from all sides’: Darbar move employees in Jammu say neighbours were part of the mob too

The fresh attack came despite the fact that the administration had not relaxed curfew on Saturday too.

After the mob violence, Army was immediately called in to restore order in the city.

Curfew was imposed on Friday when a mob torched and damaged at least 30 vehicles belonging to local Muslims and Kashmiris. Curfew was initially imposed in some vulnerable areas, but was later extended to the entire city as tension mounted in the wake of violence against a particular section of the society.

The authorities met with important citizens belonging to different communities on Friday to seek their help in bringing the city back to normal.

The Joint Resistance Leadership had condemned the arson attacks in Jammu, saying it is the responsibility of the state administration to ensure safety of Kashmiris living there.

ALSO READ: #IndiaWantsRevenge: Kashmiris outside fear for their lives, face xenophobia, abuse, rustication after Pulwama attack

“Right from 1947 (when subcontinent was divided), communal forces active in Jammu leave no stone unturned to attack and intimidate Muslims and Kashmiri people,” they said.

Trouble erupted when a group of people belonging to various right wing organisations including Bajrang Dal, Shiv Sena, and VHP took out a procession carrying tricolours through Gujjar Nagar, which is predominantly inhabited by Muslims.

Earlier, Omar Abdullah, Vice President of the National Conference had appealed Rajnath Singh take ‘special care of areas where Kashmiris as residing or studying.’

In a tweet, he had said that ‘they (Kashmiris) are soft targets in a surcharged atmosphere.’

ALSO READ: ‘We’re alive today because of our Sikh brothers’: Kashmiri drivers back home from Jammu tell tales of agony and hope

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