CRPF men hit by mob in J&K, but stay calm

Hours after Internet services were partially restored in the Kashmir Valley on late Tuesday afternoon after remaining suspended for two days, a series of amateur short videos went viral on social media showing CRPF jawans being heckled, hit and kicked by a mob in Srinagar.

However, the jawans, who appear to be returning from a polling station somewhere in Budgam district of the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency which went to the bypoll Sunday, show remarkable restraint.

In one video, a youth in the crowd whacks one of the jawans in the head whereas another can be heard saying “Haya layus ma (Hey, don’t beat him)”. That, however, does not stop another attacker from flipping off the jawan’s helmet. As some of the young men chant “Go India, Go Back” while walking with the jawans, others capture the assault on their mobile phone cameras. The jawans stay calm and do not react. One of the jawans who is attacked yet can be seen walking calmly with an INSAS rifle in his hand is reported to have told his seniors that he and his colleagues’ prime concern at that time was to keep the electronic voting machines (EVMs) they were carrying with them safe.

The police sources said that investigations have been taken up after a case on the assault on CRPF jawans was registered at a local police station. The police is trying

A series of short videos went viral on social media showing CRPF jawans being heckled, hit and kicked by a mob in Srinagar

to identify the youth who attacked the security personnel, the sources said.

Eight protesters were killed and dozens wounded in security forces’ firings and other actions across Srinagar on Sunday when a number of polling stations and booths were attacked by irate mobs. The officials had said that over 100 security personnel were also injured in these attacks and pitched street battles fought mainly in Budgam district on that day. The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday said that elaborate arrangements have been made for the re-polling being held at 38 polling stations in Srinagar on Thursday which included heavy deployment of security forces in the areas that saw worst incidents of violence on Sunday.

It, however, is silent on the reports that about 20 EVMs were damaged or snatched from the polling station on Sunday when a meagre 7.14 per cent of over 1.2 million registered voters turned up to use their democratic right. While the ECI has ordered repolling at 38 police stations in Srinagar, it decided to defer the bypoll to Anantnag seat in South Kashmir which was to be held Wednesday till May 25.