People here in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district staged massive anti-Indian Army protest and blocked road for hours after a group of Army men allegedly thrashed some locals without any ‘provocation’. Locals alleged that army men resorted to hooliganism and without listening to anyone they not only beat up people mercilessly but also hurled choicest abuses.The eyewitnesses at Sadarkoot Payeem area of Bandipora district told news agency CNS that there was some argument going on between a local driver and the Road Opening Party (ROP). “The ROP was not allowing the driver to move towards his destination and had asked him to halt there. The driver entered into an argument with the ROP men. As some locals assembled there and tried to pacify the driver and the ROP men, some army men whirled their guns in air and started thrashing people. Over a dozen people were beaten up,” they said.The witnesses added that shortly after the incident hundreds of people including women hit to roads and staged a massive protest against the army men. They raised pro-freedom and anti-army slogans. The protesters blocked the road disrupting vehicular movement. Officials from police and local administration rushed to spot to pacify the protesters.SP Bandipora Sheikh Zulifkar said that Army retaliated after a group of person’s pelted stones on them. (CNS)