Nahan: Prohibitory orders were enforced in
the holy city of Paonta Sahib near here to control the irate
mob that went on a rampage to protest against the murder of
three youths at a fair.
The protesters blocked the Nahan-Dehradun Highway where
they held demonstrations and sit-ins, damaged and torched
vehicles and set ablaze Valmiki colony, where the murderers
allegedly lived, Manmohan Sharma, Sub Divisional Magistrate
(SDM), Paonta, said.
Police cane charged protesters and imposed prohibitory
orders under CrPC section 144 (preventive custody) to bring
the situation under control, he said.
Three youths of a village here were killed and another
was critically injured allegedly by a group of people after an
altercation at Hola Mohalla fair in Paonta Sahib, 45 km from
here.
The bodies of the youths, hailing from Heerpur village
under Paonta sub division, were found late last night on the
roadside with multiple stab wounds and rushed to a local
hospital, sources said.
While three of them were declared dead, another
critically injured youth was undergoing treatment, they said.
The residents of Heerpur village today refused to
identify the bodies and take them for cremation.
The protests continued despite the prohibitory orders and
deployment of police force in strength.
The police have so far arrested two persons in connection
with the murder and detained nine others for questioning,
Additional District Magistrate Lokender Chauhan said.
The administration was taking every possible step to ease
the tension through negotiations with the protesters, he said.
Meanwhile, Dharam Pal, Additional S H O of Paonta Police
Station, has been placed under suspension for laxity in duty.
Apprehending retaliation by mobs, Valmiki Colony was
vacated before it was set ablaze. There was no loss of life
due to the preventive action taken by the administration, the
SHO said.
The SDM said said that the protesters torched one police
vehicle and damaged several others.
Vehicular traffic remained suspended till this afternoon
on the Nahan-Paonta-Dehradun highway as hundreds of agitators
sat on a dharna since last night at Bangran and Vishwakarma
Chowks of the town.
Paonta town observed complete Bandh today and all
business establishments and private offices remained closed.
PTI
