[Reader-list] Grenade blast ups tension in Jammu

[Aditya Raj Kaul]

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** *Grenade blast ups tension in Jammu*
3 Jul 2008, 0131 hrs IST,TNN


 *JAMMU/SRINAGAR:* J&K Chief Minister Gulam Nabi Azad's assembly
constituency, Bhaderwah, in Doda region of Jammu was on the boil on
Wednesday after terrorists threw a hand grenade on a BJP protest rally
killing a person and injuring three CRPF personnel and two civilians.

Soon communal clashes flared up with groups of people supporting and
opposing the land transfer to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB)
clashing at a number of places, forcing Bhaderwah administration to deploy
Army and impose an indefinite curfew. Doda DM Khurshid Ahmad Butt said: "We
are keeping a watch on the situation. The curfew is to keep things under
control."

The terrorists targeted the procession comprising 400 people when it was
returning to Laxmi Narayan Temple at Bhaderwah. Four critically injured
people have been airlifted to Jammu. Curfew was also clamped at Samba in
Kistwar area of Jammu region following communal clashes. Later, Army jawans
took out a flag march. A mob also set on fire at least five mud houses.
About 20 people were injured.

Elsewhere in Jammu region, more than 50 people were hurt as the winter
capital of Jammu and Kashmir witnessed more violence and arson on the third
day of Jammu bandh on Wednesday against Amarnath land revocation.

At least 10 people were injured as protesters fought pitched battles with
cops across Jammu town defying the curfew the second consecutive day. Police
fired in Muthi area after a lathicharge failed to disperse protesters.
Locals and Kashmiri Pandits from camps in Muthi, Purkhoo and Nagrota held
rallies and blocked Jammu-Poonch and Jammu-Srinagar highways.

The protesters also demonstrated outside the residences of Congress MP Madan
Lal Sharma and J&K minister Mula Ram. They also tried to attack Dogra Law
College and Dogra Higher Secondary School at Shastri Nagar owned by state
minister G C Charak.

Both the ministers belonged to Congress. They also burned effigies of
governor N N Vohra, CM Ghulam Nabi Azad and PDP patron Mufti Mohammad
Sayeed. Over 70 people were arrested across the region.

Meanwhile, Amarnath Yatra Action Committee has questioned how the governor,
who is also the ex-officio SASB chairman, could revoke the land transfer
order without taking any board member into confidence.