Two killed in Samba; Army deployed in Jammu

Jammu/ Samba, Aug 2: The Army was called on Friday, August 1 in the Samba sector of Jammu and Kashmir in order to ensure that no further violent protest takes place in the region. The past few days have witnessed angry protests by Hindus who are demanding transfer of land to the Sri Amarnath Shrine Board.

Meanwhile, curfew was re-imposed in Jammu after two persons were killed in Samba town as violence continued over the controversial cancellation of forestland allotted to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB).

Meanwhile, the Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti, a conglomerate of 35 political, social and religious organisations, fighting for the restoration of land to the SASB declared that its talks with the state Governor NN Vohra had failed.

The Samiti spokesperson Tilak Raj Sharma said, "It is pointless to talk to the Governor again unless he sends us a concrete proposal on the land issue."

The Governor met Congress leader Mangat Ram Sharma, the former chief minister and National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, People''s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader M.Y. Tarigami and prominent citizens.

A group of protesters held demonstrations when Abdullah and Mufti landed here and laid siege to the main road leading to the airport. Some of them set fire to the Panjthirti police station. Police fired teargas shells to disperse them. The administration then ordered immediate re-imposition of curfew in Jammu District.

In Samba town, the police opened fire at the agitating mob, which ransacked the office of Deputy Commissioner of Samba District, resulting in the two deaths. Several agitators were injured in the incident. Four critically injured have been taken to Jammu.

During the violence one security personnel was thrashed by the agitators. He was receiving treatment at the Samba District Hospital along with others.

On July 1, the State Government had withdrawn its May 26 order to allocate 40 hectare of land to the shrine board following massive Muslim street protests against the order. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had to resign over the issue following his Government''''s failure to win a trust vote in the State Assembly.

People in entire Jammu region are protesting under the banner of Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti against the government decision of revoking order for diverting forest land to the SASB for erecting prefabricated temporary structure for Amarnath pilgrims in South Kashmir.

ANI