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Communalism Politics South Asia Violence

Pulwama Attack: Curfew in Jammu amid violent protests

A curfew was imposed in parts of Jammu city on Friday after mobs attacked some people and burnt vehicles following the incident.

 

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Image Courtesy: PTI
 
Jammu: Tensions are soaring in Jammu and Kashmir as the region was rocked by a terror attack in Pulwama, South Kashmir where close 40 security personnel from CRPF were killed. A curfew was imposed in parts of Jammu city on Friday after mobs attacked some people and burnt vehicles following the incident.
 
Jammu city was rocked by massive anti-Pakistan protests with people taking to the streets in dozens of places, including Jewel Chowk, Purani Mundi, Rehari, Shaktinagar, Pacca Danga, Janipur, Gandhinagar and Bakshinagar.
 
The Army has been called in to help maintain law and order and conduct flag marches, officials said. Curfew was imposed as authorities feared a communal backlash.
 
“Raising anti-Pakistan, anti-terrorist slogans, protesters burnt tyres on many roads. The agitators, mostly youth, put up barricades on roads demanding revenge. Led by the Bajrang Dal, the Shiv Sena and the Dogra front, people took out candlelight marches in the city and held anti-Pakistan protests. The Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries (JCCI) had on Thursday called for shut down in Jammu protesting terror attack. Protesting the Pulwama attack, the Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association, Jammu, suspended work in all the courts in Jammu, including the high court and tribunals,” News18 reported.
 
According to officials, there was complete bandh in Jammu city and there was no traffic on roads and all shops and markets were closed.
 
In a report by Hindustan Times, a local resident said, “The mob set ablaze around 30 vehicles and damaged scores of other vehicles in the area. Consequently, there was a stone pelting in the area. While protestors shouted slogans of ‘Pakistan Murdabad’ and ‘Hindustan Zindabad’, stone-pelters in the locality from other end shouted slogans ‘Naar-e-Taqbir Allah-Hu-Akbar’. He informed that sensing trouble policemen resorted to tear-gas and lathi-charge to disperse the protestors and avoid a clash between the two groups. “The protesters also smashed windowpanes of some houses,” he added.
 
Kashmiri employees at Jammu’s Tourist Reception Centre have sent SOS messages to police seeking protection after mobs burnt vehicles outside TRC and pelted stones.
 
37 CRPF Jawans were killed and five injured after a militant drove an explosive-laden vehicle into a bus in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Thursday.
 
“Regret to inform that 37 Personnel of CRPF attained martyrdom,” the CRPF confirmed in a late-night statement, adding that 5 injured personnel were being treated at 92 Base Hospital in Srinagar.
 
Many of the soldiers were returning from leave and rejoining duty in the Valley. The bus that was attacked belonged to the 54th battalion of the CRPF and had 44 personnel on board, unidentified officials said.

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