Youth injured, 35 detained as Jammu bandh enters fifth day

A youth was injured in a clash and 35 people were detained in Jammu, which witnessed a shutdown for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday as the protests demanding an All India Institute of Medical Science in Jammu continued unabated.

"We have detained 35 protesters from different places in Jammu for defying restrictions. There was one incident of clash in which a youth suffered injuries," SP Jammu, Rajiv Pandey said tonight.

By and large, the situation was peaceful even as protests took places in various places, he said.

Batting strongly for issuance of notification required as per AIIMS Act of 2012 to establish an AIIMS in Jammu region, the AIIMS Coordination Committee threatened that the agitation will escalate further.

The chain hunger-strike resumed by the ACC in Jammu entered eighth day on Tuesday with over 40 persons taking their turns to sit for the protest.

Business establishments, market places and shops remained closed and public transport stayed off the roads in view of the bandh call given by the ACC which is spearheading the agitation. The bandh had begun on August 30.

However, in certain areas some shops reopened.

People held protests by burning tyres and effigies at several places and roads in Janipur, Tawi bridge, Gangyal, Akhnoor, R S Pura, Bishnah, Jewel, Purani Mandi of the city.

Bharatiya Janata Party workers were appealing to people to reopen shops in Bhore camp area in Jammu when they faced opposition resulting in clashes in which one youth suffered injuries in an attack with knife. He was hospitalised.

There were also clashes between shopkeepers and lawyers in Samba in which police registered FIRs.

Over 50 people have been arrested during the bandh period for defying restrictions and 30 of them were released on bail, police said.

"The situation is peaceful. There were no reports of any violent incidents. Protests have been held at few places. In some areas, shops have reopened," Pandey said.

Speaking at the strike venue, ACC Chairman and Jammu Bar Association (JBA) President, Abhinav Sharma accused the BJP of using force, including police, to derail the agitation.

The ACC strongly condemned imposition of section 144 by the local administration which we feel was imposed just to stop the peaceful protests by ACC, he said, adding, the ACC also condemned the use of force and tear gases used by the police force.

He accused the police of using "brute force" on ACC protestors by resorting to "cane charge and teargas shelling" and "breaking window panes of our vehicles by rods and sticks on the direction of BJP ministers."

"In case, the government continues to play dilly-dallying tactics with the sentiments of the people and does not come out with a notification required as per AIIMS Act of 2012 and declares establishment of AIIMS for Jammu, the agitation instead of dying down will further escalate leading to unimaginable consequences for the BJP," Sharma had said.

Sharma said that ugly actions by the government and the unwarranted disruption of people's right to protest will boomerang for the BJP.

"We are aware that the local leadership is of no consequence for the central leadership which has reduced them to mere rubber stamps...," he said.

The AIIMS Coordination Committee, an amalgam of over 70 social, religious, political and business organisations, had earlier called for 72 hours complete Jammu bandh from July 31 to August 2. It further extended the strike call by another 72 hours when the earlier deadline lapsed on Monday evening.

National Conference President Farooq Abdullah visited ACC's strike venue in Jammu on Monday proposing an all-party delegation from Jammu and Kashmir to be formed to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the demand of setting up of an AIIMS.

The Congress had also reiterated their support to the ongoing agitation.

"Congress fully supports the ongoing bandh and agitation in Jammu over the demand for an independent institution of AIIMS. BJP leaders are speaking lies in order to mislead the people over the whole issue to sabotage the ongoing movement," Jammu-Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee President, Gulam Ahmed Mir had said.

The state unit of the BJP, however, launched a frontal attack on the ACC alleging that it was being guided by the National Conference and Congress and added that it now stands exposed before the public.

State BJP President and MP Jugal Kishore Sharma told reporters in Jammu on Monday night, "The BJP's repeated assertions of ACC agitation being guided and directed by political parties like NC and Congress have been proved correct. The ACC stands exposed before the public now."

Image: Police personnel in action against protesters at a clash on Monday in Jammu. Photograph: PTI