Safapora (Bandipora), Mar 3: Police on Thursday arrested two of the three youths allegedly posing as militants to frighten the locals here in Safapora Bandipora. However residents staged protests accusing police of assisting extortionists in the area.
 Protesting against Wednesday incident when a miscreant forcibly tried to take away a vehicle from a residential house, the residents of Safapora and adjoining areas on Thursday blocked Bandipora-Srinagar road for around two hours.
 On Wednesday evening two youths Masroor Ahmed Rather and Javid Ahmed Mir of Bachpora posed as militants and forcibly barged into the house of one Khursheed Ahmed of Jaroka Bagh Safapora and tried to extort money from him and take away his vehicle from the compound of the house. However Khursheed caught hold of one of the alleged extortionists and handed him over to soldiers of 13 RR.
 Locals told Greater Kashmir that earlier both Mansoor and Javid had barged into police station Safapora where from they managed to run way with a seized Scorpio bearing registration number HR260 3023.
 Besides two extortionists, police has arrested two policemen namely Abdul Rashid and Altaf Ahmed whose rifles have been recovered from the alleged extortionists, a police officer told Greater Kashmir.
 Locals alleged that the extortionists were assisted by two policemen.
 Locals said for many months they were being threatened by a gang of local youths who demanded money and forcibly snatched various items from them, creating tension in the area.
 Residents accused police of supporting extortionists, they said how it is possible for an extortionist to get a vehicle which was seized in police station.
 A shopkeeper wishing not to be named said, “One week ago a person accompaned by men in police uniform came to my shop and forcibly took away some clothes without paying money. This has happened many times in the past. He threatened that I should pay him Rs 3,000 every month if I wanted to live in peace and also threatened other shopkeepers to pay the amount.”
 He said, “They came to our shop again in the morning and threatened us but the police took no action.”
 The villagers also raised the issue of nuisance being created due to the presence of some policeman deputed on security of some political activists in the area.
 The crowd dispersed after the police gave them an assurance that the accused would be punished.
 “Both the alleged extortionists were arrested on charges of criminal intimidation, theft and extortion,” said Station House Officer, Police Station Safapora, Muhammad Ishaq.
 He assured residents that immediate action would be taken against other accused.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 3 Mar 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 3 Mar 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 4 Mar 2011 00:00:00 IST