Curfew clamped in Rajouri

An indefinite curfew was clamped in the border town of Rajouri on Thursday, following group clashes which led to baton-charging by the police.

The clashes were triggered off in the morning after villagers refused to cremate the bodies of eight Hindus who were massacred by militants in Sarwardi, 20 kms from Rajouri.

Demonstrators, led by Bharatiya Janata Party district general secretary Kuldeep Raj, were moving towards the deputy commissioner's office to protest the incident when they were attacked by another group at Gujjarmandi. The police had to resort to lathi charge and teargas shells to disperse the mob. Nearly 35 people were injured in the incident.

Local activists have demanded the transfer of district officials, imposition of the Disturbed Areas Act and adequate compensation to victims.

About 10 BJP activists, including Kuldeep Raj, have been taken into custody. The BJP has called for a Jammu bandh on Friday to protest the killings. Protest rallies would also be held at other district headquarters, party sources said.

The Congress has also joined the BJP in condemning the killings. It demanded deployment of the army in view of recurring incidents of militancy.

J&K Congress legislative party chief whip Ashok Sharma said that Union Home Minister Indrajit Gupta and Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah were recently apprised of the deteriorating law and order situation in the district, but chose to remain silent spectators.

Earlier, security troops staged a flag march in the town.

UNI