Jammu, Aug 18: Hundreds of people on Wednesday blocked Jammu-Poonch highway for five hours and shouted slogans against the armed forces for picking up three villagers on and ‘frivolous’ charges.
Led by a local leader Sarwar Khan and a retired Central Reserve Police Force trooper Ghulzar Ahmed Khan, hundreds of people from Sajoiote village took to streets against the police and army troopers of 38 RR.
The villagers alleged that on August 6 a column of 38 RR launched searches in the village on the pretext that a militant was hiding in the area. The troopers, they alleged, asked a follower of JK police Rukhsar Ahmed Mirza to conduct search of a house and fired upon him from behind.
The follower, he said, was killed on the spot and army later blamed that he was killed when a hiding militant opened fire from inside the house.
The protestors further alleged that the army later picked up three brothers, Muhammad Rasheed, Muhammad Hafeez and Muhammad Jameel, from the village and the trio was in custody since then.
The protesters said   “The detained   brothers are innocent and have no role in militancy related incidents and were being framed in fake case.”
As the protestors blocked Jammu-Poonch highway and refused to lift the dharna, Sub District Magistrate (Mendhar) MA Choudhary rushed to the spot and interacted with the villages.
The protestors dispersed peacefully only when the detained youth were reportedly released by Gursai police station.

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