Protest against death of wathcman

Jammu, Feb 24 (UNI) Police today resorted to lathicharge, lobbed tear gas shells and fired in the air to quell an agitated mob protesting against the death of a watchman after he was allegedly slapped by a police officer at Bantalab here.

Police sources said Assistant Sub-Inpector Lala Chand, who allegedly slapped Kewal Ram on Friday, was suspended and arrested following his death.

Around a dozen people, including a Deputy SP (Akhnoor) S Sharma, were injured in the clashes as protestors fought a pitched battle with police, the sources said.

People gathered in the morning here and pelted the police with stones, the sources said, adding the police then fired five rounds in the air to disperse the agitators.

Meanwhile, the police claimed that the watchman died due to a heart attack.

UNI