Bomai (Sopur) Aug 18: Residents of this north Kashmir village are up in arms against the paramilitary CRPF. They are planning to launch an agitation on the similar lines as they had year ago to get the Army camp shifted from the area.        
 The demand to get the CRPF camp of 92 battalion shifted has gained momentum following the killing of two youth, Arif Ahmed Mir and Sameer Ahmed of Logripora, in the CRPF firing last week.
 “When Army camp was shifted from the area we had demanded that the CRPF camp should also be relocated. Administration had promised us that it will be done. However, the state government failed to keep up its promise. Had the government kept up its promise two innocent lives could have been saved,” residents told Greater Kashmir.     
  “We are living under constant fear as they (troopers) have made our lives hell. It has become routine for them to barge into houses, beat up inmates and ransack household items in evenings,” said Nazir Ahmed of Bandhpora Bomai.
 “They also damaged windowpanes and building of Eagle English Medium school adjacent to their camp,” he added.
 They accused CRPF men of barging into the houses and beating up women folk. “ They (troopers) have unleashed terror,” locals alleged.
 “They killed two youth and wounded scores when a peaceful procession was about to cross their camp last week. They also fired on mourners and didn’t even spare an ambulance driver,” said Fayaz Ahmed, a resident.
 When contacted Special Commissioner for north Kashmir Muhammad Syed Khan said,
 “We have assured people that CRPF won’t harass anyone.”  
 “As far as the demand of removal of the CRPF camp is concerned we have told them (residents) that matter will be taken up with higher authorities.”  
 Pertinently, last year residents of Bomai observed a 33-day shutdown to get the camp of 22-Rashtriya Rifles shifted after the troopers of the camp killed two youth Muhammad Amin Tantray and Javid Ahmed Dar on February 22, 2009.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:00:00 IST