FRONT PAGE | Thursday, July 2, 2009 | Email | Print | 
Valley simmers despite State replacing CRPF in Baramulla
Pioneer News Service | Srinagar/ New Delhi
Despite withdrawal of CRPF from the law and order duties in the militancy-hit district of Baramulla of Jammu & Kashmir late on Tuesday, protests by the people continued and incidents of heavy stone-pelting spilled over to Sopore.
Even as the Centre on Wednesday supported the State Government’s decision to move the CRPF to the barracks in Baramulla, sources in the CRPF maintained the curfew was being openly violated for the last five days in which at least 10 jawans of the paramilitary force sustained injuries and were compelled to open fire to control the mobs.
Intelligence sources said separatist groups are frustrated by the successful conduct of the Assembly elections and are taking concerted efforts to discredit the Central forces and raise demands of withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act from the State.
One battalion of the CRPF was deployed in Baramulla district and after the State Government decision, they have only been moved to the Reserve Police Line, the sources said.
Tension gripped curfew-bound Baramulla town in the wake of retaliatory fire by the security forces on the protesters who injured several CRPF jawans by stone-pelting. The resultant action by the security forces led to a death toll of four persons.
A case of murder has been registered against the CRPF personnel, who had allegedly opened fire at Khanpora-Baramulla last evening leaving a youth identified as Fayaz Ahmad Gojri dead.
The para-military force authorities have been asked by the State Government to hand over the CRPF personnel to Baramulla police.
CRPF deployments in Baramulla have been replaced by Jammu & Kashmir Police after the State Government’s decision.
Two youth were killed and two others were injured in police firing on protesters demanding action against policemen involved in the alleged incident leading authorities to impose curfew in the area.
Meanwhile, the State authorities have ordered a magisterial enquiry into the allegations of the woman and subsequent firing on the protesters.
In New Delhi, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said Kashmir was a place where many people are there with different objectives. “Therefore, the situation is very fragile and has to be handled with utmost care.”
“Even a small incident has the capacity to blow up into a major confrontation... What happened in Baramulla, started out, as I am told, a young Muslim boy and a young Muslim girl ran away, perhaps to get married or whatever.”
The incidents of such nature can be contained by effective administrative and political intervention. "I think the Chief Minister has asked his Ministers to visit Baramulla and also ordered an inquiry."
He has also taken a decision that now in Baramulla, the State Police will take over the responsibility of law and order.
"Broadly, I am in agreement with the decision he has taken. We should support this young Chief Minister in handling the situation," he said.
Asked whether the withdrawal of the CRPF was part of troop relocation or a standalone case, the Home Minister said "when I visited Jammu and Kashmir on June 11 and 12, we agreed that the lines of responsibilities will be redrawn and since then we are in touch with the State Government to allow us to withdraw some CRPF companies as soon as Jammu and Kashmir Police are ready to take over."
However, he said, it will depend on the judgement of the State Government and police as to "when and how soon they will be able to take greater responsibility."
On a question whether the Armed Forces Special Powers Act was being withdrawn from the State, Chidambaram said review of the Act in Jammu and Kashmir is underway but no decision has been taken on withdrawing or repealing it.
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