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15 women protesters injured in lathi-charge at Baghat
SYED YASIR. Dated: 6/1/2014 12:35:18 AM
SRINAGAR, May 31: At least 15 women protesters got injured, when police used force to disperse a protest at uptown Baghat, when they were protesting against shortage of drinking water.
Around 9.00 in the morning, a large number of women from Baghat area and mostly from Nawach Bagh took to the streets against lack of drinking water for the last one month in the area and blocked Jahangir Chowk-Airport Road.
The police swung immediately into action and resorted to Lathi charge. The police action injured at least 15 protesters mostly women protesters. The injured were admitted in nearby hospitals by their relatives and nearby shopkeepers.
Some of the protestors who received injuries in police action have been identified as Zareena Bano, Maimooan, Jameela Bano, Zainab Akhtar, Khatija Bano, Naseema and Urfi Jan.
The police action further aggravated the situation and large number of women joined the protest and even youths also joined them. They continued shouting slogans against the state government and particularly the PHE officials against the acute shortage of drinking water.
The traffic movement on the Jahangir Chowk – Airport remained affected for some hours, till the top civil and police administration reached to the spot to pacify the protesters to end the protest.
The protesters told the officials that legal action should be initiated against the police officials and cops who resorted to lathi-charge against the peaceful protesters.
The protesters said that there area is facing acute scarcity of water from the past one month and they are receiving contaminated and muddy waters from the taps.
They also said that some days back few PHE officials visited the area and had assured the people that water tankers would visit the area on regular basis but their assurance proved to be lip service only.
The protesters said that instead of resolving their problem, a police party from Saddar Police station reached the spot and charged the women protestors with canes.
“Which law permits a male cop to beat up peaceful women protestors. We demand immediate action that police officer, who beat up even old women,” the protesters said.