Vaishno Devi ropeway row: Two detained in fresh protest, FIR against eight

Katra/Jammu, Nov 27 (PTI) Two representatives of labourers and shopkeepers in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district were on Wednesday detained after fresh protests at the Katra base camp against a proposed ropeway project along the trek route to the Vaishno Devi shrine.

Bhupinder Singh and Sohan Chand were released after an hour-long detention by the police.

Jammu and Kashmir Congress members, who met the divisional commissioner in support of the protesting shopkeepers, reached out to them in Katra to extend their support.

According to police, an FIR was registered against eight people on Tuesday, a day after violent protests in Katra in which a policeman got injured.

Protestors, led by Singh and Chand, took out a rally against the proposed ropeway project.

However, officials said the police stopped the protestors from moving ahead, resulting in clashes between them.

Singh and Chand were detained and taken away from the spot in a police vehicle, they said, adding that the protestors were also dispersed from the scene.

Udhampur DIG (Reasi range) Rayees Bhat said the detainees were not arrested.

The two men were released from the police station in Katra after an hour.

After the release, Singh said, “We called off the agitation following the intervention of the administration, which requested time to hold talks to resolve the grievances. We gave them time, but over the past two days, there have been arrests by the police. Several youths were detained.”

“During the protests, police questioned us as to why we are taking out the rally when time has been given until December 15,” he said.

“We clarified to them that we were approaching the police to understand why people were being arrested and why they were in the process of identifying them. The police can take any action against those involved in the violence. We will not support such actions,” Singh said.

He said that the police and CRPF are our own people.

“We request the boys who threw bricks and engaged in violent acts to surrender to the police. We do not support their actions,” he said, adding that if the issues were not resolved by December 15, they will resume the protest.

The Jammu and Kashmir Congress team led by Working President Ramnan Bhalla met the divisional commissioner in Jammu and took up the issue of him in bid to ensure its resolution.

Supporting the protesting shopkeepers over the ropeway project, the team reached out to them in Katra to extend their support to protestors.

“We have come here to extend our full support to the protestors”, a leader said.

The demonstration was triggered following the registration of an FIR in the Monday clash.

According to the FIR, a police team was performing law and order duty at Fountain Chowk, Katra, in view of the ongoing protests against the installation of the ropeway at Tarakote in Katra by the Shrine Board.

During the demonstration, the protestors wrongfully blocked the road, obstructing vehicular movement and causing hindrance to the free passage of yatris, it said.

Following this, Bhupinder Singh Jamwal alias Pinku Miya, Sohan Chand and Maqbool among others were booked for provocation and instigating violence.

They assaulted the on-duty police party unexpectedly with fists and blows and also attempted to harm the policemen using bricks, stones, and weapons, the police alleged in their FIR.

They also tore the uniforms of police officers and officials. Station house officer (SHO) Katra and other on-duty officials sustained injuries in the Monday clash and were shifted to community health centre Katra for medical treatment, it said.

The protestors and attackers also damaged some vehicles at Fountain Chowk on the abetment of the “protest leaders”, the FIR read.

They also pelted stones and bricks at the general public and yatris, thus endangering their lives, it said.

The strike was called off after the district administration assured the protestors of holding talks with different stakeholders, including Shrine Board officials, to address their concerns.

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday said the genuine concerns of the people protesting against the proposed ropeway project would be addressed.

Deputy Commissioner Reasi Vishesh Paul Mahajan and protest leader Bhupinder Singh jointly announced the strike’s suspension.

“I have held talks with Bhupinder. We are aware of your demands and concerns. Bhupinder has given time till December 15 to hold talks with all stakeholders to resolve the issues,” Mahajan said while addressing the protesters on Monday.