Protest for dist status: Nowshera man tries to immolate himself

AGITATION Residents intensify their protests after J&K cabinet fails to take any decision over their demands

24YROLD ROHIT KOHLI POURED KEROSENE ON HIS BODY, BUT WAS STOPPED BY LOCALS; WAS LATER SHIFTED TO HOSPITAL WITH MINOR BURN INJURIES

JAMMU: The ongoing agitation by residents of Nowshera seeking district status turned violent on Wednesday after a 24-year-old man attempted self-immolation bid.

“One of the protesters poured kerosene on his body and made a bid to self-immolate,” police here said. Sources said around noon, a man, who was identified as Rohit Kohli, poured kerosene on his body and tried to torch himself. People on the spot, however, foiled the bid.

He was shifted to a sub-district hospital and later referred to Government Medical College and Hospital Jammu.

NORMALCY HIT

All business establishments in the town and villages in the subdivision have been shut for the last 34 days.

On Wednesday, thin attendance was recorded in government offices in the area.

Members of Joint Action Committee (JAC), an amalgam of Beopar Mandal, Bar Association, Sanatan Dharam Sabha and other social and youth organisations, are sitting on a chain hunger strike.

The locals intensified their agitation on Wednesday after hearing that no decision was taken in the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, regarding the appointment of an additional deputy commissioner in Nowshera and initiating the process for grating the status of a district.

Locals had alleged that they were befooled by the government and the district administration.

They suspended their ‘Jammu Chalo’ programme, only after the assurance given by Rajouri deputy commissioner on Saturday.

People, who had travelled more than 20 km on foot, returned after the assurance.

Ravi Kant Gupta, a member of the Beopar Mandal, said, “Nowshera was declared a district in 1968. However, due to political pressure, instead Rajouri became a district. For many decades, we have been striving as Nowshera is the central place with a 35 km distance from Sunderbani and Kalakote, alike.”

The issue got highlighted after the state government sanctioned a post of additional deputy commissioner (ADC) for the newly carved tehsil at Koteranka.

It turned out to be a trigger pushing the people of Nowshera to take to the streets.

Last month, a BJP delegation had also visited the area to calm the protesters.