Several arrested for defying curfew in Jammu

Jammu, Aug 9 (UNI) Several people were today taken into preventive custody for defying curfew in Jammu city, which was under complete siege to facilitate incident-free visit of the Central delegation headed by Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to assess the situation in the state, official sources said.

All the entry points to the city and Raj Bhawan were sealed as Army conducted flag marches in the entire Jammu district. Meanwhile, Army copters also conducted aerial surveillance and kept an eye on the city as well as the National Highway 1-A.

''Several people were taken into custody for violating curfew restriction here,'' a senior police official said. He, however, declined to comment on the number of people.

Reports of curfew violations were received from several places of the city, despite the Army putting hurdles and barbed wires on the roads and streets.

Protesters also burnt effigies of Govenror N N Vohra and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti at several places.

''However, there was no report of untoward incident from any part of the city,'' police control room sources said.

People in Udhampur, Samba and Kathua also defied curfew and came to the streets shouting ''Bham-Bham Bhole'' and held massive demonstrations, sources told UNI.

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