25 held for rumour mongering in Poonch

Jammu, Aug 28 (UNI) Police today arrested at least 25 miscreants for spreading false rumours of communal violence in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, official sources here said.

''The miscreants were trying to create a communal divide through misinformation being spread by them among the people,'' official sources told UNI.

They added that the district administration has constituted an information cell to enquire about any latest happening, to gather information about any untoward incident and to alert authorities about the suspicious or dubious person involved in anti-national and anti-social activities.

Meanwhile, the one-hour curfew relaxation passed off peacefully in the town and no incident of fresh violence from any party of the town was reported, sources said.

''Various social and religious organisations took out peaceful rallies to unite masses and also appealed people to maintain communal harmony in the district,'' sources added.

The curfew, however, continued in the town after 1100 hrs bringing normal life to a standstill, while night curfew continued in Kishtwar town as a precautionary measure.

In rest of the parts of Jammu region, normal life remained affected due to closure of shops and markets as Jammu bandh entered into the 37th day and the agitation completed consecutive 58th day.

Banks, educational institutions and industrial activity had come to a grinding halt, whereas traffic on the national highway from Lakhnapur to Banihal was plying normally, the sources maintained.

Jammu is observing complete shut down on the call given by the Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (SAYSS), a conglomerate of 45 religious, social and political organisations spearheading the ongoing movement demanding restoration of land back to the Shri Amaranath Shrine Board.

UNI VBH SR RL KP2059