Senior J-K police officer shunted out for disruption in fruit trucks

A senior police officer was on Wednesday transferred and attached with police headquarters, a step that followed an outcry over halting of fruit-laden trucks from Kashmir valley to outside markets.

The transfer order of senior superintendent of police (SSP), traffic national highway, Shabir Ahmad Malik, was issued by the home department, on Wednesday morning.

In the order issued by financial commissioner-cum-additional chief secretary Raj Kumar Goyal said, "In the interest of administration, Shabir Ahmad Malik, SSP Traffic NHW, is hereby transferred and attached with police headquarters, J-K, with immediate effect."

Superintendent of Police, Ramban, Mohita Sharma, was given additional charge of the post till further orders, the order read. 

The divisional commissioner Kashmir, Pandurang K Pole, on Tuesday said almost all Jammu bound trucks were cleared and normal traffic on the 270-km strategic Jammu-Srinagar National Highway has been restored.

The highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, witnessed frequent disruptions in the past week owing to shooting of stones from a hillock overlooking the arterial road at Cafeteria-Mehar sector in Ramban district.

On Monday, the fruit growers of Kashmir staged a demonstration in Srinagar against the alleged failure of the administration to facilitate hassle-free movement of the trucks along the highway en route to terminal markets of the country.

The political parties also criticised the administration for the fruit growers' plight, with PDP president Mehbooba Mufti threatening to block the Srinagar-Jammu national highway if their vehicles are not allowed a smooth passage.

"Lakhs of people depend on this (fruit trade), they have taken loans, they have taken money from Delhi's mandis. Who will give them that money? Will you?" former chief minister Mehbooba had said in Shopian.

"So, I warn the government if you don't open the road for trucks, then I along with others will block the national highway," she said.

National Conference president and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah also criticised the administration for "miserably failing" in ensuring the smooth movement of fruit-laden trucks and said it will have a "devastating, crippling effect" on the UT's economy.