Complete shut down paralyses normal life in Jammu

Jammu, Jul 25 (UNI) Complete shut down today paralysed normal life in the winter capital city in protest against government for revoking the order of diverting forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).

Responding to the three days bandh call given by the Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (AYSS), which is spearheading the ongoing agitation that got rekindled after a protester killed himself on the issue, all the public transport vehicles remained off the road.

Business establishments, school, colleges and the university remained closed for the day.

Agitators were taking out protest rallies at several places in the city and ensuring complete shut down.

The civil administration, however, lifted curfew restrictions in the city and nearby localities today.

Pilgrims and tourists were facing hardships due to lack of transport in the city. Many passengers had to spend the night at railway station and bus stand.

Reports said shut down was also being observed in several tehsil and district towns of the region.

Despite, curfew restrictions yesterday, the winter capital witnessed massive protests and police-public clashes.

Situation in Bishnah area, the native place of deceased protester Kuldeep Dogra, turned violent after the people clashed with police.

People alleged that police had attempted to cremate the body of Dogra in the night by pouring kerosene oil and liquor.

Over a dozen policemen were injured in clashes at Bishnah while army was called in to control the situation, reports said.

AYSS is demanding the allocation of about 40 hectares forest land to the SASB.

The land was first diverted to the SASB on May 26 for setting-up temporary prefabricated structures for pilgrims to the cave shrine in south Kashmir but after it was made an issue that triggered massive protests in the Valley, the government revoked the previous order on July 1.

While revoking the order helped in pacifying people in Kashmir, the Muslim majority region of state, it stirred up massive protests in Jammu region.

Various political and non-political parties in Jammu joined under the banner of the AYSS to continue with the protest for allotment of forest land to the SASB.

UNI VJ SV HS2018