Scores of persons were injured when the supporters of CPI(M) and People’s Democratic Party clashed with one another at Sonigam hamlet of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district.Eyewitnesses told CNS that CPI(M) supporters assembled at Tarigam village and marched towards district headquarters to welcome their winning candidate Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami. “As the march reached near Sonigam, the supporters of CPI(M) started dancing and some of them even removed their clothes and set fire crackers in air. This gesture infuriated some the PDP supports who hurled stones on them that resulted in an intense clash between the two groups,” an eyewitness said.
Reports said that CPI(M) workers retaliated and attacked the houses of some PDP and Jamat-e-Islami workers. “The CPI(M) supporters caused immense damage to my load-carrier (JK18-1864) and tried to set it on fire. However, the timely intervention on part of police forced them to retreat from the place,” a local Zahoor Ahmed told CNS. Another local Nazir Ahmed said that CPI(M) workers attacked his house while one of them hurled a stone that hit the head of her 6 year old daughter, Masrat Banoo,” said Nazir Ahmed adding that her daughter has suffered a serious injury and is being treated in District Hospital Kulgam.
Reports said that CPI(M) workers smashed the windowpanes of scores of houses allegedly belonging to PDP and Jamat-e-Islami supporters.Some of the houses which were damaged during the clashes belonged to Muhammad Youqub Parrey, Ajaz Ahmed Parrey, Nazir Ahmed Dar, Ghulam Ahmed Dar, Bashir Ahmed Parrey and Muhammad Ismail Parrey.
Reports said that at least six vehicles were also damaged during the clashes. A CPI(M) supporter held PDP workers responsible for the mess. He said that PDP supporters attacked them without any provocation. “We were celebrating our victory and were moving towards Kulgam to greet our leader. They (PDP workers) hurled stones on us that resulted in chaos and confusion,” he said.Reports said that the mob was dispersed only after police fired some bullets in air. “We fired some tear-smoke shells but that did not help us to disperse them,” a police official said that adding that a case has been registered against the guilty responsible for the disruption of law and order. (CNS)