Jammu: One person was killed and 24 injured as communal clashes broke out in Kishtwar district where a curfew was clamped and the Army called in to assist the local administration in maintaining law and order.
The victim, whose identity was not immediately known, suffered gunshot wounds when a group of protestors fired at him near a petrol pump in Kishtwar.
He, along with two others injured in the incident, were rushed to the Army hospital in the area where doctors could not save him.
The other two were then taken to the Army Command hospital at Udhampur.
The clashes continued despite Army patrolling the streets, a senior official said, adding more troops have been requisitioned for the trouble spots.
The streets of Kishtwar saw ugly scenes with people of two communities attacking each other and indulging in widespread arson or torching shops and vehicles.
The trouble in this district, 226km from here, erupted on Friday morning after a group of people raised anti-national slogans after Eid prayers, officials and locals said, adding that this led to violent clashes.
The communal clashes spread like wild fire in other parts of the district with two groups indulging in stone-pelting, they said, adding at least 20 people were injured.
Police and CRPF personnel rushed to the area and used batons and teargas besides firing in the air to disperse the warring mobs gathered in various parts of the district.
A list of Village Defence Committee members was drawn up quickly so that the arms given to them could be withdrawn.
Five shops, a truck and a hotel belonging to a kin of an MLC were burnt down in the arson, police said.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah directed senior state and civil officials including police chief Ashok Prasad to rush to the scene and try and control the situation.
Minister of State for Home Sajjad Kitchloo was already in the area for his Eid celebrations.
However, he could not move out of his Dak Banglow because of the clashes.
Over 500 personnel of CRPF, Indian Reserve Police and Armed Police were today rushed to Kishtwar district.
“Five companies from Jammu have been rushed to Kishtwar, where clashes broke out between two communities,” a police officer said here.
Two companies of CRPF and three companies of Indian Reserve Police and Armed Police were rushed to the district, the officer added.
“Situation is very tense and efforts are being made to bring it under control,” he said.
Meanwhile, both the BJP and hardline separatists have called for a bandh on Saturday in response to the clashes.
Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Gelani called for a general strike in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We appeal to people of the state to observe a general strike tomorrow against the biased approach of the state administration in dealing with the situation in Kishtwar,” spokesman Ayaz Akbar told PTI.
He said the situation in the town is extremely “grave”.
“The future course of action will be decided tomorrow after reviewing the situation in the affected areas,” he added.
“We appeal for a Jammu bandh on Saturday against incidents of communal violence and the government’s failure in ensuring safety to minorities in Kishtwar,” BJP state president Jugal Kishore Sharma told reporters here on Friday.
He alleged that the NC-Congress coalition has given a free hand to a section of people to harass, terrorise, kill and damage properties of minorities. (PTI)