Lalpora erupts, Bunkers torched, scores of vehicles damaged
Kupwara: Violent protests erupted in frontier district Kupwara’s Lalpora area after thousands of protestors stormed into police station Lalpora to get the bodies of seven slain militants who were killed during a gun fight in Dardpora forests on Monday evening.
Eyewitnesses told CNS that thousands of people from Lalpora, Dardpora, Darpora, Redinag assembled outside police station Lalpora where post mortem of seven slain militants was being performed. The protestors staged a massive protest and amid pro-freedom slogans stormed into police station, however, the police and CRPF personnel restored to intense aerial firing and fired scores of tear-smoke shells which created panic in the area.
Eyewitnesses said that police station was completely damaged by protestors while some of the policemen ran for cover.
Reports said that, the angry protestors resorted to stone pelting and torched two bunkers outside police station. They stormed into police station and attacked it from all the sides forcing some policemen to ran for cover. The room of Station House Officer was completely damaged by protesters. Protestors alleged that the slain militants were locals and foreigners. They demanded the dead bodies of militants for burial.
During the clashes at least 16 persons including 4 policemen, 7 photo and video journalists and five civilians were injured. One of the civilian Muhammad Mustafa Shah was referred to Kupwara District Hospital for treatment. Reports said that additional reinforcement of police and CRPF were rushed to spot to take stock of the situation.
Sources told CNS that in order to diffuse the situation; local police contacted Auqaf Committee and handed over the bodies of militants to them. Agitated protestors who were thousands in number participated in the funeral procession and ultimately they were buried in local grave yard.
Authorities imposed severe restriction in and around Lalpora to thwart possible protests. Deputy Inspector General Police North Kashmir J.P.Singh said that all measures have been taken to maintain peace and order in the area. “We are monitoring the situation minutely while police and Para-military troopers have been deployed in the area to maintain law order,” he said.
Pertinently, Army Monday claimed that it gunned down top seven foreign militants in Dardpora Forest of Lolab region in North Kashmir’s frontier district of Kupwara. Army said that the operation was launched after intelligence inputs were received about the presence of militants in the area. (CNS)