Protesters damage over 1,000 electronic meters in Jammu

Jammu, Jul 28 (UNI) Protesters agitating for restoration of forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) in South Kashmir today went berserk and damaged electronic power meters installed at houses and business establishments in the winter capital.

''Over 1,000 electronic meters have been damaged by the protesting youths who went door to door in the Old City and nearby areas of winter capital,'' a UNI correspondent reported from the area.

Having covered their faces with handkerchiefs, the agitating youths were seen moving in the city on two-wheelers, shouting 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and anti-government slogans.

Despite curfew restriction, police forces, including CRPF and RAF, were seen nowhere in the old city areas, which witnessed violent clashes yesterday.

Police control room sources said the curfew has not been lifted from ''sensitive'' Janipur, Bakshi Nagar, Pacca Danga, Domana, Nowabad, Bus Stand, Peer Mitha and City Police station areas in Jammu city.

Jammu region is facing acute electricity crisis after a major transformer at Gladni Grid was damaged in fire early this month.

Entire areas falling under district of Jammu, Rajouri and Poonch are facing more than 12 hours curtailments daily. People are facing hard times due to power curtailments in the hot and humid weathers.

Meanwhile, life remained crippled in Jammu on the fifth consecutive day after the death of a protester Kuldeep Dogra, which rekindled massive agitation in the winter capital on Amarnath row.

Various political and non-political parties joined under the banner of the Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (SAYSS) to carry on with the agitation against government decision of revoking the order for diversion of forest land at Baltal (in South Kashmir) to SASB for construction of temporary structures to facilitate Amarnath yatris.

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