3 arrested for threatening locals in Kashmir

TNN Bureau. Updated: 11/7/2019 9:39:24 AM Front Page

SRINAGAR: Three persons were arrested on Wednesday for ‘threatening and intimidating’ locals in South Kashmir's Pulwama using posters issued by proscribed terror outfits Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba, even as police said that miscreants and militants are indulging in fear-mongering including recent attacks in Kashmir to put down any resistance to the unannounced shutdown, which has now entered its fourth month.
"Three persons were arrested and incriminating materials including threat posters were recovered from their possession," a senior police official said.
“Initial investigation into the matter revealed that these individuals were involved in publishing and circulating threat posters in Ladhoo area of Khrew Awantipora, in Pulwama district,” he said.
An FIR under relevant sections of the law has been registered against them, he said.
“The three have been taken to the police station and incriminating materials recovered from them taken into records for the purpose of investigation,” the official said, adding that further investigation in the matter is underway.
A spokesperson said police will act tough against such elements.
Officials also appealed to the public to share information about such people who are intimidating locals.
"There have been consistent efforts to enforce shutdown in areas where shops are open or roadside vendors are plying their trade. The anti-peace elements are trying to keep people indoors," a senior police official said.
The official said two grenade attacks in the city's busy Goni Khan market and Kaka Sarai areas were an indication that there were concerted efforts to keep the shutdown going.
One street vendor was killed while 35 others were injured in the grenade attack at Goni Khan market on Monday as the shops in the area were open beyond the 12.00 pm self-imposed deadline for closing the markets. Six security force personnel were injured in the attack at Kaka Sarai last week.
Several shops, falling in the areas which have defied the shutdown, have been damaged in the mysterious fire incidents.
While police have been maintaining that these fires were caused by 'electric short circuit', some of the owners suspect foul play by the miscreants.
"We have already lost our capital...I do not want any physical harm now," the owner of a shop, which got damaged in a fire incident at Batamaloo recently, said on condition of anonymity.
Education, public transport and tourism were the only three sectors that continue to remain badly affected as people associated with the rest of the trades have resumed normal activities.
The government's efforts to open schools have not been successful as parents are not willing to risk the safety of their children. However, board examinations are going on as per schedule.
"We are already suffering heavy losses due to the shutdown but the losses can be bigger if we take out our vehicles on the roads. One stone thrown at a passenger vehicle can lead to a damage worth thousands of rupees," Aijaz Ahmad Bhat, a bus driver, said.
Bhat said he was working as a labourer to make his ends meet but that would not pay for his liabilities.
"I have to pay the loan installments of the vehicle and I do not earn enough these days. I might have to sell the bus to get rid of this liability," he added.
Although some tourists have returned to the Kashmir Valley after the government lifted the adverse advisory last month, there have been stray incidents of stone-pelting on their vehicles in the past few days.
The partial communication blockade in the Valley has now entered 94th day.
While landline and postpaid mobile phone services have been restored across the Valley, all internet services continue to remain suspended since August 5.
The worst hit have been the courier services which were mainly into delivering the products purchased by the consumers online.


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