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Protests Continue in Kashmir Against Molestation Bid By Indian Soldiers

By Fayaz Wani

For the second day in succession, protest demonstrations against the attempt by Indian soldiers to outrage modesty of a woman, rocked Trambgund, Sopore area in North Kashmir. At least 18 persons including two women were injured in the clashes between police and protestors in the area. The army spokesperson in Srinagar has termed the allegations of local population as baseless.

It has already been reported that Indian soldiers last night allegedly made a bid to outrage the modesty a 45-year-old woman, Jana Begum, wife of Sonaullah. However, the timely intervention of people saved her chastity. The incident has evoked strong resentment from the locals, who have demanded stern action against the guilty soldiers.

While giving the first hand account, Jana Begum said, "It was 6 in the evening and I was cutting the grass in the field. While I was busy in my work, the army personnel, who had laid an ambush in the area, surfaced me. They caught hold of me and tried to outrage by modesty. They tore my clothes and I raised outcry. Hearing my cries, my son, Mushtaq Ahmad, who was working in the nearby field rushed to my rescue but he was overpowered by the soldiers and beaten mercilessly. They tried to kill him also. The timely intervention of people saved my chastity and the life of my son".

The woman's son, Mushtaq said that after hearing the cries of his mom, he rushed towards the spot to save her. "But the soldiers caught hold of me and began beating me. After seeing people in large numbers moving towards them, the army personnel fled from the spot", he said.

Today also, people in their hundreds, irrespective of age and sex, came out on the roads in Sopore and staged a protest against the Indian army personnel. Raising anti-forces, anti-India and pro-freedom slogans, the protestors blocked the vehicular movement on Srinagar-Baramulla national highway. The highway remained blocked for more than three hours during which time the protestors did not allow even security force vehicles to pass through the area.

The protestors were demanding stern action against the guilty soldiers, who had made a bid to outrage the modesty of a woman. "The guilty soldiers must be arrested", they demanded.

Later a contingent of police rushed to the spot and resorted to a cane charge to disperse the agitating people, who retaliated by hurling bricks and stones towards them. The clashes between the protestors and police continued for half an hour, during which 18 persons including two women were injured. The injured were hospitalized.

Talking to media, a top civil official of the area, Mohammad Haneef said, "If army personnel were found guilty, they would be punished according to the law."

An Indian army spokesperson in Srinagar, Col A. K. Mathur said that there is no truth in the allegations. He termed the allegations as baseless and far from the truth. "The protest demonstrations by people in the area are pre-meditated and pre-planned", he said, adding, "The matter was amicably sorted out by the Commanding Officer of the army unit with the aggrieved people in the presence of SDM Sopore".

He said that nothing has happened and allegations of people are baseless.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.