Jammu: A day after curfew was lifted from
strife-torn Rajouri town, where clashes erupted on March 8,
normalcy on Sunday restored in the border town as there was no
untoward incident reported.
The Jammu and Kashmir government removed District
Development Commissioner GA Khawaja and Senior Superintendent
of Police VS Sambyal last night.
Saugat Biswas and Mubashir Latiffi have been posted as
new DCC and SP of the district.
"Total normalcy has returned to Rajouri. Tension has
ended and there was no untoward incident reported from
anywhere from the district during past 24 hours," a senior
police official said.
Shops and business establishments opened and did their
usual business today, he said.
A state delegation, led by Health Minister Sham Lal
Sharma, had met with members of both communities on March 16.
Following the meet curfew was lifted from the town
yesterday.
"Demands of compensation, withdrawal of FIRs, probe into
incidents, shifting of officers have been accepted," Sharma
had said yesterday, adding that both communities were
satisfied with the outcome of the meeting.
We are happy with opening of the shops and business
establishments, and the two communities have ironed out
differences now, Sharma said today.
The curfew was clamped in Rajouri town on March 8 after
some unidentified persons pelted stones at a religious
procession, prompting security personnel to fire tear gas
shells to disperse them.
The stone-hurlers were protesting against VHP president
Praveen Togadia`s remarks which, they alleged, had hurt
sentiments of a particular community.
Seventeen people were arrested for their alleged
involvement in the violence. A major clash again was witnessed
between people and police on March 15, leaving several injured
on both sides.
PTI