Concern expressed over CRPF camp presence in Srinagar
26 September, 2012
Srinagar: In occupied Kashmir, residents of different areas of Srinagar have expressed serious concern over the continuous presence of Indian paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in the locality.
Despite the repeated claims of normalcy by India and its establishment in the occupied territory, the residents of the Bismillah Colony, Azad Basti in Natipora said; "The camp is causing huge problems to us. It is the only reason behind stone pelting incidents in the area. Had there been no camp, there would be no stone pelting in the area," said Mohammad Ismail Parray, a local resident.
"The CRPF personnel went unruly and broke the window panes of our houses and ransacked the property on last Friday," he added.
A Marble Dealer, Mohammad Rafiq, whose shop was ransacked by the CRPF personnel, told Kashmir Reader that the camp had become a source of perpetual nuisance for the local residents. "I was in my shop attending few costumers and suddenly CRPF personnel came and started thrashing me and broke marble worth Rs 3 lakh," he said.
Locals say that the CRPF bunker, set up in the area more than a decade ago, has always remained in bad news for often beating commuters during night.
Another local, wished to remain anonymous, narrated his ordeal of being beaten by the CRPF men of the camp. Showing the torture marks on his back, he said, "I was on way to bazaar, when I reached on the main road the CRPF personnel caught me and started beating me ruthlessly."
Locals said that following the protests on Friday, the CRPF took away the hoarding of a local Masjid, which resulted in protest the next day, during which road remained off for the traffic for three hours.
"We have been going to the authorities concerned asking them to remove the camp but nothing has been done so far," Rafiq said adding, "The camp should be removed from the area for the safety of the locals."
End.
|
