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 |  Subject: Indian troops attempt assault on Kashmiri woman again  Sun Jun 28, 2009 12:05 pm | |
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- Molestation’ bid triggers protest
6 INJURED, CRPF TROOPER HELD
DANISH NABI
Srinagar, June 26: At least six persons, including two mediamen, were injured when police and paramilitary CRPF troopers resorted to baton charge and fired tear smoke canisters to free a CRPF man who had been nabbed by locals for allegedly molesting a woman at Soura here. Police later registered an FIR against the accused and arrested him.
The trouble began this morning when a man, who later turned out to be a CRPF personnel, tried to molest a veiled woman, locals alleged
“We caught him red handed and his identity card revealed that he was from CRPF,” locals said.
As the word about the incident spread, locals poured out of their houses and beat the accused personnel to pulp. The police arrived at the spot and asked the locals to handover the culprit to them. However, they refused, saying, “We will hand him over in presence of media only.” As the police team tried to rescue the CRPF man the protesters attacked the police Gypsy and over-turned it injuring a policeman. Later reinforcements rushed to the area and used force to quell the protesters. At least six persons were injured in the police action, witnesses said.
“They entered our houses and broke the window panes. Even if anyone who was found peeping through the windows was beaten mercilessly,” locals alleged.
A police official told Greater Kashmir the CRPF trooper, Balwant Singh of 158 battalion CRPF posted at Soura, had been arrested and a FIR No 55, under section 294 had been registered against him.
MEDIA ON RECEIVING END
“Police snatched my camera and started beating me. I fell into a drain and policemen pointed guns at me to shoot me but a woman from the neighborhood threw herself over me and saved my life,” Imtiyaz Gulzar, the cameraman of SEN-channel told Greater Kashmir.
Imtiyaz along with other media persons were covering the protests at Soura when police and CRPF treated them with gun butts and tear gas shells.
Imtiyaz received serious injuries on his back and his legs and left arm are broken.
“We were only doing our job but police attacked us without giving any warning,” he said.
The troopers did not allow media to talk to the locals even after the protests had subsided.
The SP, Hazratbal, Maqsood-uz-Zaman, said the police did not beat anyone, though accepting the police snatched the cameras of video-journalists.
“We did not beat or stop anyone from carrying out their duties. No one from media was injured,” he said. - Code:
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http://www.greaterkashmir.com/full_story.asp?Date=27_6_2009&ItemID=71&cat=1 |
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