Tension in Nowshera over woman’s last rites
Protesters set ablaze a house in Syal village in Nowshera on Tuesday. (more pics on page 9)
STATE TIMES NEWS
NOWSHERA: Over 25 persons, including policemen, got injured while two shops, a tractor and a place of worship inside a house were set ablaze as violence erupted on Tuesday over performing the last rites of a Hindu lady married to a Christian boy in the Nowshera town of Rajouri district.
“One Seema Devi, who had married to one Rinku Kumar (a Christian), resident of Syal, Nowshera was working as labourer in Jalandhar, Punjab, where she expired,” police sources said.
“When the body of Seema Devi was brought to her native village yesterday, tension started brewing with her family members alleging ‘murder’ and asserting that she was forced to change her religion,” they added. However, Police took the body into custody for post-mortem, sensing trouble.
Meanwhile, violence broke out when the husband of the deceased and his family wanted to perform last rites (the burial) as per Christian rituals but the parental side of the deceased objected as they wanted to perform the last rituals as per their traditions.
The incident took an ugly turn when parental side of the deceased was supported by some right wing locals, who had heated arguments with family of deceased’s husband.
“Agitated protesters vandalised the house of Baldev Raj alias Rinku Kumar, son of Shankar Dass and set ablaze the place of worship established by him inside”, sources said adding that two shops and a tractor were also set on fire by agitated mob.
RSS, Bajrang Dal, VHP and Shiv Sena activists led by Susheel Sudan and Sanam Rana held protests in the town. Susheel Sudan also addressed a gathering and demanded compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the family of deceased Seema Devi, who is survived by four sisters.
During clashes, over 25 persons, including policemen, were injured whereas protesters also set on fire a tractor (JK 11 A/9783).
Police resorted to teargas shells to disperse the mob and additional forces were called in to pacify the situation. The last rites of the deceased were performed as per Hindu rituals.
A senior police official, when contacted said, “Situation is under control and being monitored by the administration. Action will be taken against the elements, who tried to fan communal tension in the area and damaged the public property.”
Meanwhile, a police handout issued late last night said, “A Deputy Superintendent of Police and above a dozen police personnel sustained injuries when agitated mob pelted stones on police personnel.”
Police personnel deployed in the area showed maximum restraint but mob, after attacking police personnel by stone pelting, made attempt to torch some structures and vehicles.
“Under Standard Operation Procedure, police initially resorted to Lathi charge and fired tear gas shells to disperse the mob. Soon, additional force was rushed to the area and mob was dispersed bringing situation under control preventing any further loss of property by agitated mob,” police handout state, adding “Cognisance of violence after instigation of some people has been taken and investigation is going on to identify them”. Rajouri police also issues rebuttal of allegations levelled by some people against police for using force against villagers.
“It is clarified that after instigation by some people, villagers in the form of mob not only resorted to heavy stone pelting on police personnel but also torched some structures and vehicles and there were strong apprehensions of more violence by mob,” police said .
“To disperse the mob and to prevent any further loss of property, police resorted to cane-charge and fired teargas shells. It is also assured that all the people involved in violence and instigation will not be spared,” Rajouri police said in the press release.