Amarnath Land: Jammu tense, curfew extended

Jammu, Aug 3: Communal tension continues in Jammu Kashmir as the agitation for the return of land to Amarnath Shrine board entered its eleventh day. Curfew was imposed in two more towns of Jammu on Sunday, Aug 3.

Udhampur and Rajouri were put under curfew after arson and stone-pelting injured six persons on Saturday, Aug 2 night. The Army conducted flag marches in the districts and civilian authorities suspended SMS service on cellphones to prevent spreading of rumours. Jammu and Samba districts are already under curfew and the Army has been called out. As many as 21 people were injured in the two districts on Saturday after protesters defied curfew and fought pitched with the police.

Reports says that the Jammu and Kashmir government on Sunday sealed two local channels in Jammu accusing them of "running provocative" programmes and fuelling the agitation on Amarnath land row.

Civil and police officers leading contingents of police descended on the premises of 'JK Channel' and 'Take 1' offices and served them notices saying that their channels were "running programmes and showing one-sided picture of the Jammu agitation, causing unrest among the people and provoking them."

Hindus and Muslims took out processions for and against restoring the land to the SASB and when the two groups reached the bus stand in the heart of the town, 160 km north of here, they started throwing stones at each other and damaged vehicles.

Protesters in Jammu have been agitating for the past over one month for the restoration of 40 hectares of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board that was given to the (SASB) May 26 and then withdrawn July 1.

The operation of 300-km-long Jammu-Srinagar highway, which has been affected by the stir, was handed over to the Army for unhindered supply of essential commodities to the Kashmir valley.

OneIndia News