Kishtwar peaceful; top cop assures stern action, wiping out militancy
Night curfew to continue during night till elections
TNN Bureau. Updated: 4/17/2019 11:50:08 AM


JAMMU: Situation remained peaceful in communally sensitive Kishtwar township where the district authorities lifted the day curfew on Tuesday, even as the state police chief Dilbag Singh reviewed the security situation in district and assured wiping out militancy from the district completely for which he ordered strengthening of arrangements by establishing new checking points, besides stressing on coordination among security forces to neutralise militants.

However, the curfew promulgated in the town and adjoining areas on April 9 after the terror attack on senior RSS leader Chanderkant Sharma and his security guard inside a health centre, triggering violent protests, will remain in place during the night alongwith prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC banning assembly of more than four persons.

The relaxation in curfew from 6 AM to 8 PM will continue till Lok Sabha elections are held here on April 18. Kishtwar is part of the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency.

“With the improvement in the situation, the day curfew was lifted from 6 am today. The relaxations continued till 8 PM. There was no untoward incident reported,” District Development Commissioner, Kishtwar, Angrez Singh Rana informed.

He added that a peaceful candle march against the killing was taken out by over 500 protestors in the town, while the Army was already withdrawn from the town and adjoining areas on Monday.

The protesters called off the protest after being assured by senior civil and police officers assured that efforts are on to nab the culprits, he said, adding police and paramilitary forces will remain deployed in strength in sensitive areas of the town to maintain law and order.

“However, night curfew along with prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC banning assembly of more than four persons will remain in force in the town and adjoining areas as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order,” Rana informed.

The arrangement will continue on Wednesday and Thursday as well, he added.

Curfew was promulgated in the town and adjoining areas on April 9 after the terror attack on senior RSS leader Chanderkant Sharma and his security guard inside a health centre, triggering violent protests.

Curfew was relaxed initially for three hours in the entire town from 12 pm to 3 pm and later from 5 pm to 6.30 pm on Monday and the relaxation period passed off peacefully with no untoward incident reported from anywhere, prompting authorities to consider lifting of restrictions.

The killing of the RSS leader triggered violent protest with protesters ransacking the office of the senior superintendent of police, forcing authorities to impose strict curfew in the town and adjoining areas besides suspending Internet services in the entire Chenab valley comprising Kishtwar, Doda and Rajouri districts.

While Internet services were restored in Doda and Ramban districts on Friday night, the service was also restored in Kishtwar on Monday with the improvement in the situation.

Police had picked up several over ground worker (OGWs) for interrogation in connection with the killing of Sharma and his PSO and also seized the car used in the attack.

Police also released a photograph of the car owner, Zahid Hussain, who is absconding.

Kishtwar, which is part of the Udhampur Lok Sabha seat, goes to polls on April 18.

Meanwhile, Director General of Police Dilbag Singh Tuesday reviewed the security situation in Kishtwar district, and ordered strengthening of arrangements ahead of the April 18 polls.

"The DGP called for establishment of new Special Operation Group (SOG) camps, checking points and bunkers (pickets) in the district and advised all the security forces deployed in the district to work in coordination in order to neutralise militants," a police spokesperson said.

"Noose must be tightened around the militants and their over ground workers," Singh said.

The DGP held meetings with officers to take stock of the preparedness for the elections and addressed police, Army and Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel deployed for the polls.

Accompanied by IGP Jammu and inspector generals of the CRPF and the BSF, Singh also visited far-flung areas of the district including Marwah and Dachan.

He also held a meeting with civil officers including District Development Commissioner of Kishtwar A S Rana.

Singh directed the officers to ensure no untoward incident takes place and polling is held smoothly in Kishtwar.

"Action should be taken against trouble mongers after identifying them," he said.

On law and order front, the DGP advised his officers to reach out to every section of the society in order to gain confidence of the general public.


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