Work suspended in Kashmir court against alleged molesation of a girl

Srinagar, May 15 (UNI) Lawyers in the Kashmir valley today suspended work in the courts in protest against the alleged molestation of a girl by security forces and subsequent police action on peaceful demonstrators at Tral, in south Kashmir district of Pulwama yesterday.

Hundreds of lawyers, associated with the Kashmir Bar Association (KBA) today boycotted lower and high courts and took out a procession from district court complex here.

Raising slogans against the security forces and state government, the lawyers marched through different streets, including historic Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the summer capital.

They alleged that Human Rights (HR) security forces, Special Operation Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir and surrendered militants working with different security agencies, are committing atrocities on common people.

The innocents are being framed in false cases and put behind bars by the SOG and security forces to get promotion, they said.

They demanded immediate arrest of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnels allegedly involved in the molestation of a girl at Tral, about 40 km from here yesterday.

At least 25 persons, including nine police personnel, were injured in the day-long clashes between police and demonstrators protesting against the incident.

A CRPF spokesman had, however, denied the charges while a senior police officer said that two FIR's had been lodged in Tral Police Station and Awantipora Police Station against some people for spreading misinformation and instigating people for violence. It was alleged that CRPF personnels allegedly beat up a teenage girl after she protested when they tried to molest her at Mandoora.

Later, hundreds of people took to the streets in protest against the incident, raising slogans against CRPF and state administration.

The demonstrators who blocked the main road, demanded action against the accused.

UNI