Tension gripped the Sidhra area on the outskirts of Jammu city on Sunday after police resorted to aerial firing when they came under a stone-pelting attack by an irate mob protesting against a recent demolition drive carried out to remove alleged encroachments.
Some police personnel were reportedly injured during the stone-pelting incident.
Nearly 30 structures belonging to members of the Gujjar community, allegedly constructed on government land, were demolished during a drive conducted on May 19 in the Raika Bandi forest area of Sidhra.
According to reports, tribal activist Talib Hussain had arrived in the area along with his supporters and was planning to lead a foot march against the demolition drive. Anticipating trouble, police personnel reached the spot and attempted to persuade him not to proceed with the march.
Police allegedly detained Hussain and escorted him towards a police vehicle. Soon after, a section of the crowd accompanying him reportedly began pelting stones at the police personnel.
In response, police fired four to six rounds in the air to disperse the protesters and bring the situation under control. Several persons allegedly involved in the stone-pelting were detained.
In an official statement, police said a team from Police Station Bagh-e-Bahu, along with personnel from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and armed police, had been deployed in the area to maintain law and order.
“Despite repeated warnings and persuasion not to carry out the protest without proper permission, as it was likely to create a law and order problem, Talib Hussain and his associates began stone-pelting with the intention of causing injury, obstructing police personnel in the discharge of their duties and disrupting public order. They also delivered provocative speeches. In retaliation, police fired a few aerial shots," the statement said. Police said an FIR has been registered and further investigation is underway.
The J&K Government has already ordered two separate inquiries into the demolition drive to determine whether any provisions of the Forest Rights Act were violated during the operation.
