The Indian Army post that had been standing in the Handwara town's main market for more than a decade was dismantled by Mehbooba Mufti led State Government on Tuesday. The Army post included three bunkers and Town Commander Office (TCO) that stationed 21 Army personnel from Rashtriya Rifles.Locals had been demanding the removal of the Army post since the firing on protesters last Tuesday, in which three persons had been killed.Last Tuesday, locals said a schoolgirl had been molested by an army man when she went to the washroom in the market. The girl has denied the molestation, the police said, and claimed that a local had misbehaved with her. The girl's mother had said she had panicked on seeing an army man inside the washroom.Eyewitnesses told CNS that hundreds of people assembled near main Chowk Handwara when authorities used JCB to dismantle Army post.
The locals were jubilant while majority of the onlookers believed that town will witness peace in absence of Army personnel. “This Army post was nuisance more than an asset. The presence of Army in Kashmir is not welcomed and same is the case here. We are really happy and want to thank the government for conceding to our demand,” said a group of locals watching the removal of Army post in the town.They said that it is a moment of joy for the people. “We are jubilant but can’t celebrate in waking of the innocent killings,” said a shopkeeper.Pertinently, after Tuesday’s shooting, the bunker was set on fire by angry youth and since then Army had abandoned them. Sources said that on Monday late night, a party from Baghatpora Army Camp arrived in Handwara Chowk and removed all the hoardings that Army had installed atop bunkers.A police official said that on Monday the District authorities conveyed the decision of removing the bunkers to Army. “The decision was taken by authorities as it was the long-pending demand of the people,” he said. (CNS)