Miscreants torch vehicles, shops to ensure shutdown
Srinagar: Various incidents of arson have been reported across the length and breadth of Kashmir valley since the past few days. Reports said that miscreants allegedly torched private vehicles and shops who were defying
shutdown.
Notably, various localities across Kashmir valley have been witnessing an increased vehicle activity besides opening of shops for longer durations.
Even in city centre Lal Chowk, some shops were seen open till noon while reports from South Kashmir’s Anantnag said that a large number of shops remain open throughout the day.
Unknown persons not only attack those shopkeepers who keep their shops open but also attack the vehicles plying on roads.
Sources said that Pinchi Mandi Batamaloo is witnessing huge rush of people. Unknown persons’ hurled two petrol bombs in the Mandi as a result all the shopkeepers closed their shops while vendors fled from the spot, the other
day.
In another such incident unknown persons torched a tipper at Khrew Pulwama that had arrived there to load cement bags. The tipper according to sources, was hired by an individual to ferry cement for construction purpose.
Official sources said that two vehicles of fruit traders were set on fire by unidentified persons at Rebbon Sopore area of North Kashmir.
They added that unknown persons at Rebbon area torched an i-10 and Santro (both private cars) belonging to two fruit dealers who had parked them there.
A shop according to sources was also torched in Maharaj Ganj area of Srinagar city. If sources are to be believed, the shop was torched by unknown persons as it remained open in the area.
Dozens of vehicles and shops have been set on fire by unknown persons in Kashmir after Government of India annulled the Special Status of Jammu and Kashmir.
Kashmir has been witnessing continuous shutdown since August 5 against New Delhi’s decision which they term as ‘unilateral’ and ‘unconstitutional’.
Elsewhere, a government school was also torched in Nihama village in Pulwama district on Thursday, police said.
Police sources said that the Government Boys Middle School at Nihama area of South Kashmir’s Nihama village in Pulwama district was set on fire.
The school building suffered major loss and the cause of fire was being ascertained. A police official said that the cause of blaze was being investigated. Sources said that Nihama is the same village where a non-state
labourer from Chattisgarh, K Sethi was killed by the unidentified gunmen. (with KNT inputs)
KV News
