CRPF On Rampage: Attacks Houses With Stones, Batons
By Danish Nabi
10 August, 2010
Kashmir Times
SRINAGAR, Aug 9: Paramilitary CRPF men deployed have allegedly unleashed a
resign of terror in the old Srinagar city by going on rampage of the houses after dusk.
The residents told Kashmir Times that once the dusk sets in, the CRPF
men attack the houses with sling shots, daring the youth to indulge in
stone pelting. The attacks on the houses have been a regular feature
in almost all areas of old city since July 30 when the situation
turned worse.
“Once the sun sets and the CRPF men are ready to leave, they break the
window glasses of almost every house with stones and sling shots.
Besides, they abuse us (residents) and challenge the youth to come
out,” said Ali Mohammad a resident of Nowhatta.
The residents said the CRPF men not only attack the houses at the main
road but also the ones in the interiors.
“My house is at a fair distance from the main road but we were
attacked too. Last Sunday they (CRPF men) first hit our main gate with
batons, abusing us and then there was ruthless stone pelting at the
window panes. Fear struck in one corner of the house we could listen
to the sound of crashing glasses,” said Mudasir Ahmad, a business man
from Khwaja Bazar chowk.
The residents along in the entire old city have similar stories tell.
House of one Ghulam Muhammad of Pathlipora Bala Chattabal was attacked
last week when there were only ladies inside.
“We were only two in the house that time: me and my daughter. There was
no stone pelting going on as the curfew was strictly imposed. Without
provocation they (CRPF men) attacked our upper storey with stones in
the evening and broke all the glasses on the windows. The window panes
of the lower storey were broken by batons,” said wife of Ghulam
Muhammad, wishing not to be named.
“The moment was so scary,” Shahmima said, “That I and my daughter had
to hide in the bathroom at the back of the house. The CRPF men were
abusing us and the Kashmiris all the time.”
In Khanyar and the adjoining area, the forces have gone a step ahead
in ‘harassing’ the residents. Faizan Ahmad, a resident of Shesh Gari
Mohalla Khanyar said that the forces brought down every hoarding and board
on the shop and crushed it on the road.
“The rampage began in the evening on last Saturday. We have an ice
cream parlour here whose freezer was outside that time. The CRPF men
dragged it on to the road and mindlessly hit until it was completely
damaged. Anger among the forces was so evident that we feared they
might burn down our houses,” he said.
In many parts in the adjoining Nowpora cable and electricity supply
lines were cut by CRPF many times in past week.
“The CRPF men in the nearby Kehkashan Hotel threatened to attack our
houses if there was stone pelting in the area. Only a day after the
threatening, our houses were attacked with sling shots. The CRPF men
tore apart the cable lines in every lane and they also switched off
the electricity supply for several hours,” said Imran Ahmad of Daulat
Abad Nowpora.
The CRPF Spokesman, Prabhkar Tripathi, passed off the complaints as
“mere allegations.” He said they have no such complaints from any
side.
“We are disciplined forces and can’t tolerate any kind of
indiscipline,” he said.
