M A I N   N E W S

Kargil under curfew, DSP’s house torched
Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 10
Curfew was imposed today in Kargil town of Ladakh where hundreds of Muslim protesters took to streets and torched official residence of the Deputy Superintendent of Police. Curfew continues to be clamped in the Leh town and Army has been called out in the Nubra area where tension was brewing.

Army has been called out to control the situation as incidents of arson and violence spread in the Kargil town.

Muslims were protesting against the alleged desecration of the holy Quran at Budh Kahrboo by some unidentified persons four days ago.

Reports said that the mob ransacked the offices of the Hill Development Council and the DSP and also tried to set ablaze the police lines.

The police resorted to bursting of teargas shells and lathi charge as the mob resorted to pelting of stones. Two shops were ransacked in the main bazaar.

Curfew continues to be clamped in the Buddhist-dominated town of Leh that witnessed violent incidents in the past three days. The situation there was described under control, but stray incidents of stone pelting were reported in various areas. Thirtyfive persons have been arrested in connection with the violent incidents. Army, the ITBP, the CRPF and the JKAP personnel were patrolling streets.

Tension mounted in the neighbouring Shia Muslim majority town of Kargil today when hundreds of people came on the streets to protest against inaction of the authorities in booking the culprits involved in the alleged desecration. The procession turned violent and resorted to arson. The police burst teargas shells when lathi charge failed.

Curfew was further tightened in Leh to prevent fallout of the violence in Kargil.

Reports said that tension has started brewing in the Buddhist majority area of Nubra where too Army has been deployed.

Power Minister, Rigzin Jora, flew to Leh today where he convened a meeting of religious heads and political leaders and sought their cooperation in defusing the situation. He also visited the affected areas in the town.

Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir Basharat Ahmad Dar and IGP K. Rajendra, are camping at Leh.

The Chief Executive Councillor of the Hill Development Council of Leh, Mr Tsring Dorje, who was on eight-day tour of the Nubra valley, cut short his visit and has returned to Leh.

Reports said that the Buddhists, who were in minority in the Kargil district, were feeling unsafe and have demanded deployment of Army and para-military forces to protect their lives and property.

SRINAGAR: Inspector General of Police K Rajindra Kumar told UNI that the trouble started when a mob of 4000 to 5000 people gathered near the house of police officer after the Friday prayers to protest against yesterday’s incident and the demonstrators threw stones and later set on fire the house.

A resident, Ghulam Nabi, told UNI on phone that repeated announcements were being made through public address system by the police that curfew had been imposed.

The police and demonstrators also clashed at Poyen village on the outskirts of the town. — UNI