Amarnath land row: Samiti calls off talks with government

Jammu, Aug 25 (UNI) In a blow to the ongoing talks to resolve the vexed Amanath land row, the agitators' conglomerate today called off any further meeting with the four-member panel constituted by Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra.

''We are suspending our talks until Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu Zone K Rajindera and newly appointed Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jammu Manohar Singh, who was appointed with an intention to curb the movement, are removed,'' Leela Karan Sharma, convenor Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti (SAYSS) said, while relating police's atrocities on civilians in Jammu.

Mr Sharma further said over hundred people were injured in different districts of the region including a teenaged girl and a youth, who lost her eye sight because of the barbaric acts of police.

''There will be no fourth round of talks tomorrow with the government representatives unless the two top police officers be removed, who are trying to hold back the peoples movement,'' Mr Sharma said and asserted that the District Magistrate has said no such directions were issued by the administration.

Meanwhile, the Samiti convenor said police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) damaged over 200 private vehicles parked on streets in Nai Basti and Digiana areas and also misbehaved and abused the locals including women.

The winter capital today witnessed fresh incidents of violence in various parts of the region, wherein around 20 people including policemen were injured and official vehicle was torched, while curfew was re-imposed in Kathua town and continued in Poonch district.

''The IGP Jammu Zone is also responsible for riots in Kishtwar and Poonch districts. Instead of these two districts, the forces were deployed here but not in these sensitive areas where communal tension was created by some anti-national elements,'' Mr Sharma added.

The SAYSS, however, without softening on the agitation front had agreed to meet again for the fourth round tomorrow to bring an end to the two-month long unrest in the state but they have called off their dialogue demanding the removal of top police officers.

The Samiti has already submitted its final demand with clarification to the 4-member panel and has cleared that unless and until the final decision is taken by the government, the agitation would continue.

UNI VBH LPB NS2200