Scores wounded as renegade grabs graveyard land

Srinagar, Apr 29: Scores of people, including women, were wounded as violent protests broke out in Saffron-rich Pampore area of Kashmir today over the alleged grabbing and the sale of a Muslim graveyard land by a renegade-turned-politician.

Eyewitnesses said residents of Frastalbal in Pampore area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district protested this morning over the alleged grabbing and the sale of the graveyard land by surrendered militant Ghulam Mohammad Lone, alias Papa Kishtwari.

The angry protestors alleged that Kishtwari had grabbed seven plots of the graveyard land and sold these for Rs one lakh each.

Each plot was of the size of seven marlas.

As the residents demonstrated near his highly fortified house here, several of his fellow surrendered gunmen allegedly opened fire at the protestors to scare them.

Police also used batons and lobbed teargas shells to disperse the protestors. Several people, including women, were wounded in the firing and the police action. Unconfirmed reports said that at least four protestors were critically wounded in the firing.

Senior civil and police officials later rushed to the area to pacify the protestors.

Police then arrested Kishtwari, who had unsuccessfully contested several parliamentary and assembly elections in the state.

The residents described Kishtwari's arrest as a move to give him police protection and demanded a strict action against the alleged ''land grabber''.

The residents also alleged that Kishtwari had been harassing them ever since he left the militant ranks and surrendered before the authorities to become a renegade and then the politician.

The protestors also urged the state administration to shift Kishtwari and his gunmen from the area, a move they said would give them the much-needed relief.

UNI