Four persons, including two policemen, were injured in fresh clashes that broke out in Kishtwar Monday as locals defied the curfew to protest against the arrest of a youth for his alleged involvement in Friday’s communal violence in the area.
Trouble erupted when police tried to stop protesters from marching to the Hidyal area of the town after defying the curfew, which entered its fourth day Monday.
The protesters blamed local MLA Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo, who resigned Monday from his post of the Jammu and Kashmir minister of state for home, for the disturbances in the area. They also slammed a DSP for targeting innocent youths.
Two cops were injured in the clashes along with two others as police resorted to a lathi-charge and teargas shelling. They also reportedly fired in air to bring the situation under control.
ASP Kulbir Singh and a selection grade constable sustained injuries in Monday’s clashes, which were still on when reports last came in.
The curfew has been in place in Kishtwar since Friday, when communal violence erupted in the town resulting in the killing of three persons with several others injured.
Meanwhile, four other policemen were injured Sunday night in Kishtwar when unknown miscreants attacked their vehicle and set it on fire, police said Monday.
The attack in the Shalimar area took place late Sunday night as the policemen were travelling from Doda to Kishtwar.
The miscreants set the vehicle on fire and took away 10 wireless sets from the cops.
The injured cops, who have been hospitalised, were identified as head constable Ramesh Kumar, selection grade constable Farooq Ahmed, constable Ashwani Kumar and SPO Anil Kumar.