Close X
Friday, November 29, 2024
ADVT 
India

40 injured, 100 tents torched in Amarnath Yatra base camp clash

Darpan News Desk IANS, 18 Jul, 2014 12:41 PM
    Over 40 people were injured in clashes between security forces and protesters in Baltal base camp of the Amarnath Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir after a scuffle between a local pony operator and a cook turned violent, police said. The situation was in control now, said a senior police officer.
     
    Around 100 tents and half a dozen 'langars' (community kitchens) were also torched during clashes.
     
    Around twenty protesters and an equal number of security force personnel were injured in the clashes that followed a scuffle between a non-local cook and the pony-wallah.
     
    Governor N.N.Vohra, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) which conducts the pilgrimage, appealed for calm in the area.
     
    Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and urged him to take all necessary steps to control the situation in the area.
     
    Reports from Baltal said six people, including two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers, have been arrested for instigating the violence.
     
    The trouble erupted after the cook reportedly stabbed the ponywallah, who was shifted to a hospital in Srinagar for treatment.
     
    As news of the incident spread, pony-wallahs assembled in Baltal and started heavy stone pelting at the security forces including local police and the CRPF.
     
    While the CRPF said the protesters torched the langars, the locals alleged the CRPF troopers torched the tents of the local residents.
     
    Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Abdul Ghani Mir flew to Baltal in a helicopter to supervise efforts to bring the situation under control.
     
    The entire Ganderbal district where the Baltal base camp is situated was gripped with tension after the incident.
     
    The IGP told IANS the situation is completely under control and all the Yatris are safe.
     
    Meanwhile, because of the tension, security forces did not allow passage of yatris to Baltal and lodged the pilgrims at the Manigam transit camp in Ganderbal for the day.
     
     

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Congress suspends Kerala leader calling Rahul a 'joker'

    Congress suspends Kerala leader calling Rahul a 'joker'
    Senior Congress leader T.H.Mustafa, who called Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi a "joker" and demanded he quit party posts, has been suspended from the party, a party leader said Thursday.

    Congress suspends Kerala leader calling Rahul a 'joker'

    Modi focus on governance, asks ministers for 100-day timetable

    Modi focus on governance, asks ministers for 100-day timetable
    Taking steps to fulfil his avowed agenda of good governance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday asked his ministers to come up with a plan of action for the first 100 days, lay thrust on efficiency and delivery in their work and give quick response to representations from states and public representatives.

    Modi focus on governance, asks ministers for 100-day timetable

    South Asian nations have big hopes from Modi

    South Asian nations have big hopes from Modi
    Member nations of the South Asian regional grouping Saarc lay big hopes in the new Indian government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with their respective media Wednesday reflecting the region's collective optimism over India's new leadership.

    South Asian nations have big hopes from Modi

    Congress, BJP in war of words over Smriti Irani's qualification

    Congress, BJP in war of words over Smriti Irani's qualification
    The row over allotment of the human resource development ministry to "non-graduate" Smriti Irani continued Wednesday with the Congress alleging she had misrepresented facts in her election affidavits and the BJP defending the actor-turned-politician

    Congress, BJP in war of words over Smriti Irani's qualification

    Kashmir: Process of abrogating Article 370 has begun, Omar fumes, RSS hits out

    Kashmir: Process of abrogating Article 370 has begun, Omar fumes, RSS hits out
    The row over article 370 escalated Wednesday with Jammu and Kashmir's political parties as well as Congress opposing any move to revoke the constitutional provision guaranteeing special status to the state and the RSS stressing that the state would remain an integral part of India and attacking Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for suggesting otherwise.

    Kashmir: Process of abrogating Article 370 has begun, Omar fumes, RSS hits out

    Meet Punjab's ministerial family - the Badals!

    Meet Punjab's ministerial family - the Badals!
    The Badal family now has a chief minister, a deputy chief minister, a union cabinet minister and two state cabinet ministers.

    Meet Punjab's ministerial family - the Badals!