In an apparent move to ‘force’ commuters to keep their vehicles off the roads during the strike hours, the masked men on Monday morning set ablaze two Sumo vehicles in Parimpora area of Srinagar city.The masked youth according to officials sources thrashed the drivers and asked the passengers to get off before setting the vehicles on fire. Earlier, in a similar incident, two auto rickshaws were set ablaze in Srinagar this month by unidentified persons for ferrying passengers during strike hours. The Divisional Commissioner later had announced proper compensation in favour of the affected auto-rickshaw drivers.Eyewitnesses told news agency CNS that shortly after setting the two Sumos (JK05B-5863 and JK09-9209) on fire, the masked youth disappeared from the scene. “They (masked youth) didn’t touch us but roughed up the drivers.
They blamed drivers for sabotaging the ongoing freedom movement,” said a passenger shortly after the incident adding that the incident took place at around 7:45 am near Mandi Crossing Parimpora area of capital city Srinagar.A police official said that they have registered a case and investigation has been taken up to identify the persons responsible for these acts.Meanwhile, locals of Parimpora alleged that government forces raided and ransacked their houses, caused damage to the property shortly after the incident. They said that scores of youth mostly from Gulbagh Parimpora were picked up and detained at Police Station Parimpora. “My 10th Class son Shahid Nazir Bhat who was returning home after appearing in Practical examination was also picked up by police for the none of his fault,” said the mother of the detained youth.The mother of Faizan Ahmed Mir also said that her son was detained despite the fact he is innocent and never resorts to stone-pelting. (CNS)