Barring one odd incident of stone pelting in the Eidgah area of Bhaderwah the situation remained peaceful in the entire Doda region on Friday. Mobile internet services were snapped across several places to check rumor mongering aimed at triggering unrest in the region. To restore order in the area a flag march was conducted by the joint team of security forces along with jawans of the Indian army. Friday prayers were not allowed in Bhaderwah to prevent mass assembly of people in the area.
Meanwhile, a shutdown was observed in parts of Srinagar even as tourist traffic remained normal. In Jammu, token protest marches were taken out by the group of worshippers after the Friday prayers demanding action against the suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma.
Curfew was imposed in the Bhaderwah town following tension between the two communities late Thursday night. A provocative speech made by a cleric, targeting members of the minority community, had first triggered unrest in the area.
Later a social media post added fuel to the fire prompting the district authorities to clamp curfew restrictions to prevent communal flare up. So far local police authorities have registered two FIR's in the matter.
Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh along with Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar were rushed to Bhaderwah to take stock of the situation on Friday morning.In Bhaderwah, a large number of people camping outside the religious place in the Eidgah area were dispersed after several rounds of negotiations between the civil/police authorities and public representatives early Friday morning.