The Hindu : National : Protesters court arrest in Jammu

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Tuesday, Aug 19, 2008
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Protesters court arrest in Jammu

Staff Reporter

Jammu: Responding to a call by Shri Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (SAYSS), protesters courted arrested on Monday in an attempt to intensify the struggle for restoration of land for the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board. The Samiti claimed that three lakh people courted arrest.

Mass rallies were the order of the day as the authorities lifted curfew in Kishtwar, Jammu and Udhampur districts and relaxed it for nine hours in Samba district. Police stations were not equipped to handle this rush. So the protesters, in coordination with the police, identified the places where they would court arrest.

“People courted arrest and we made arrangements in various schools, colleges for this purpose. We do not have the official count at present,” DIG J&K Police Jammu-Samba-Kathua Abdul Qayoom told The Hindu.

There were a few incidents of violence in the old city as protesters smashed the windowpanes of some vehicles.

The People’s Democratic Party office at Gandhi Nagar was attacked yet again.

Rapid Action Force and J&K police personnel ensured that violence did not escalate. In a press release, the Samiti expressed gratitude to the people of Jammu region for their overwhelming response to the “jail bharo” call.

As per the programme women would court arrest on Tuesday and children, on August 20. Meanwhile, another batch of labourers who fled Kashmir Valley out of fear, reached Jammu railway station on Tuesday to board the train for their native places.

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