All the religious places protected : Govt

Jammu, Jan 10 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir government today informed the Legislative Council that all the religious places are fully protected and no one would be allowed sacrilege of religious places in the state.

While replying to a calling attention notice moved by Abdul Rehman Tukroo in the upper House, Minister for CAPD Taj Mohi-ud-Din said inhabitants of village Shangus Anantnag found few pages of the Holy Quran torn out in the mosque and a portion of the Holy Quran thrown in the nearby latrine.

He informed on receiving this information and immediatly, the senior civil and district police authorities rushed to the spot of occurrence and pacified the agitating mob, assuring proper action against the anti-social elements and the situation was brought under control. A criminal case FIR No.2/07 U/S 295 rpc of Police Station Achabal was registered, he added.

During the intervening night of January 2, 2007 one more incident took place when fire broke out inside the local mosque at village Chandarwattan (Utrasu) causing damage to some pieces of coir mating.

On January 6, 2007 another incident took place at village Wakhil Balan, Shangus when some unidentified persons set on fire some pieces of coir mating inside the mosque. The fire was brought under control and the mosque was saved.

Minister said several steps have been taken by the district administration which include constitution of special Investigation teams headed by Dy SP Headquarters, Anantnag, Village Vigilance Committees have been constituted in almost all villages to patrol during night hours. Night patrol by local police have been intensified in the areas which is being monitored by two gazetted officers of police.

He said a reward of Rs 50,000 have also been announced for the person(s) giving information for detecting and nabbing the culprit, also some suspects are being interrogated on specific intelligence reports. In addition, security forces have also been alerted in the area, he added.

Intervening in the matter, Chairman Legislative Council Abdul Rashid Dar said that it becomes the responsibility of all members and public in general to cooperate with the investigating agencies to nab the culprits at the earliest. He also directed the government to expedite the investigation to find out the elements responsible for such heinous acts.

UNI