J&K: Police resort to lathi-charge after stones pelted during protest near toll plaza in Samba

Samba/Jammu, Aug 22 (PTI) Police fired tear gas shells and resorted to lathi-charge as a protest to demand the closure of Sarore toll plaza on the Jammu-Pathankot Highway in Samba district and release of detained Yuva Rajput Sabha activists turned violent on Tuesday, officials said.

Authorities had imposed Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), which forbids the gathering of four or more people at a particular place, in and around the toll plaza late Monday after the Yuva Rajput Sabha held a protest demanding its closure.

So far, police have detained 26 people and arrested one for violating prohibitory orders, they said.

On Tuesday, the protesters blocked the highway for more than four hours.

“The protesters resorted to stone-pelting during the demonstration. We used mild cane charge and used tear gas to disperse them,” Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Samba, Benam Tosh told PTI.

The situation is under control, he added.

On Monday, hundreds of Yuva Rajput Sabha activists held a protest demanding the removal of the toll plaza alleging that it was set up in violation of rules. Some of them even tried to damage the structure, police said.

Several other organisations, including trade bodies, have also demanded the closure of the toll plaza.