Fresh protests in Jammu region, 19 arrested

Kishtwar/Jammu: Fresh protests erupted in several towns of Jammu region Tuesday with locals torching tyres and staging sit-ins as the curfew-relaxation period passed off peacefully in violence-torn areas.

Protesters staged marches and sit-ins in Jammu, Aknoor, Ramnagar and Samba areas and an incident of stone-pelting took place near the Jammu-Pathankot highway, reports said. The protesters burnt tyres and chanted anti-government slogans. Over 100 JKNPP activists defied curfew in Gandhi Nagar area in Jammu and staged a protest march demanding imposition of President?s rule in Jammu and Kashmir, alleging the law and order had totally broken down in the state. Led by its president and MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia, they tried to march towards Bikram Chowk but police stopped them midway. The Panthers Party activists courted arrest and were released later. "By and large, the situation was better today. It is limping back to normal. There are no reports of any major untoward incident from any part of the region," Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Shantmanu told reporters in Jammu. PTI