Curfew continues as Jammu seethes over land dispute

Jammu: Angry protesters defied curfew orders to hold demonstrations on Monday as major towns and cities of the Jammu region observed a shutdown for the fifth consecutive day against the Amarnath land transfer order revocation.

The Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti, a group of some Hindu groups spearheading an agitation in Jammu for the restoration of 40 hectares of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), yesterday called for an extension of the shutdown by another three days.

The shutdown was to end yesterday evening. But Leela Karan Sharma, convenor of the conglomerate, told reporters that the government had not moved even an inch forward on their demands. The shutdown would stand extended until Thursday evening, Sharma said.

Judicial probe

The AYSS demands include judicial probe into the death of Kuldip Kumar Dogra, return of the land to the shrine board, and recall of Governor N.N. Vohra.

The lull that had descended on Jammu after a 10-day spell of shutdowns and curfews since July 1 was broken July 23 when Kuldip Kumar Dogra allegedly ended his life to protest against government's "inaction" on the land allotment issue.

The AYSS resorted to a signature campaign and black flag demonstrations and beating of utensils to press for land allocation and the governor's recall.

Dogra committed suicide at Parade Ground last Wednesday when volunteers and supporters of the AYSS were sitting on a chain hunger-strike, sparking a new wave of violent protests in Jammu.

An indefinite curfew also continued, crippling normal life here.

The authorities enforced the restrictions strictly as people in many parts of the walled city of Jammu tried to hold demonstrations against the land allotment cancellation, which has rocked the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir for almost a month now.

The protesters were chased back to their homes by stick-wielding policemen, according to officials.

Police vehicles fitted with loudspeakers repeatedly warned people against violating the prohibitory orders. There was unprecedented deployment of police in some sensitive places in the city.