PROTESTS ROCK LANGATE

Handwara, Mar 5: The entire area of Langate in Handwara town on Friday witnessed massive protests against torture of four youth allegedly by troops and men of Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir police during a crackdown.
 The protesters relented after police registered attempt to murder case against in -charge of SOG cargo camp Srinagar and 30 Rashtriya Rifles.
 Residents of Malpora, Safalpora of Kralgund, Langate alleged that the troops and SOG men cordoned off the area, Friday morning and tortured youth.
 “They first pelted stones on our houses and then carried house to house searches on pretext of militants hiding in the houses,” said locals, adding after they found nothing, they took youth one by one in nearby nullah.
 “They interrogated and tortured youth for hours. When we tried to rescue after hearing their screams, SOG men and troops chased us away,” said villagers, adding even the village head was not spared.
 “They kept him blindfolded for hours,” said, Nazir Ahmed, a local.
 According to villagers, Abdur Rashid Bhat, Farooq Ahmed, Nazir Ahmed and Bashir Ahmed were brutally tortured.
 “Among them Abdur Rashid Bhat was profusely bleeding and has been shifted to Srinagar for medical treatment,” they added.
 Thousands from area took to streets, raising pro-freedom, anti-troops and anti-SOG slogans.
 The protesters marched towards Kralgund chowk and blocked traffic on Handwara-Varmul road for hours demanding stern punishment to the troopers and SOG men.
 Later MLA Langate Er Rashid also joined the protesters, demanding registration of FIR against the errant cops and troopers.
 When contacted SP Handwara, Muhammad Rafiq Vakil said one of the youth Abdur Rashid admitted that militants were in his house and had left yesterday evening.”
 “We have registered complaint of locals also,” he said.
 Later an FIR number 17/10, under section 307(attempt to murder) RPC was registered against the 30 RR and in -charge of SOG Central Component Srinagar, namely Cargo in Kralgund police station.
 Sources told Greater Kashmir that police has also ordered internal inquiry in the incident.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 5 Mar 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 5 Mar 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 6 Mar 2010 00:00:00 IST