Srinagar: Hours after a police officer and his Personal Security Officer (PSO) were injured in clashes with protestors in Nasrullah Pora village of Budgam on Friday, the locals accused the combined forces of vandalizing property and arresting of, what they claimed, innocent people.
Local residents claimed that combined forces, including Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), entered into the village at about 11:30 pm on Friday night and started vandalizing public property, reported KNT.
“The forces damaged parked vehicles, shops, and gates of the houses. They barged into the houses and damaged my JCB, LeD TV, washing machine, refrigerator, Maruti Alto, and other things,” said a local resident. “They spared only a few households and created havoc in almost in the home.”
Another local alleged that the government forces personnel arrested people at random during the night raid. “Even elderly people were not spared and arrested,” he added.
On Friday, as per local residents, a police officer had barged into Jamia Masjid in Mir Mohalla and asked the people to disperse without offering the prayers.
“Some of the youth lost [their] cool and they attacked the police officer who suffered injuries,” he said. “If some people have violated the law, why to punish every villager?”
“We have migrated to other villages. Only women folk are present in the houses,” said the locals.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Ashok Amod Nagpure, blamed people for the mess. “First they attacked our police officer,” he said. “When the police tried to disperse them they pelted stones, injuring four other cops.”
“After the killing of Riyaz Naikoo, police took all the measures to maintain law and order in the district. A police party led by DSP [Deputy Superintendent of Police] was attacked in Nasrullah Pora,” said SSP Budgam, and added that at least 10 people have been arrested and more arrests are expected. “They resorted to massive stone-pelting damaging public property including shops and vehicles.” (KNT)
