Diplomat Correspondent
Jammu, (DD): The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed intense protests on Monday as opposition members slammed the police for their handling of demonstrations in Kulgam following the deaths of two tribal youths.
As soon as the Question Hour began, MLA Surankote Choudhary Muhammad Akram raised the issue, demanding action against a police officer accused of assaulting a woman protester.
“It is shocking that a woman was kicked by a police officer. This House must condemn such brutality,” Akram stated, urging the government to hold the guilty accountable.
Legislators from the National Conference (NC), Congress, and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) joined the protest, demanding a thorough inquiry. NC’s Nazir Gurezi questioned the police’s conduct, asking, “Has Jammu and Kashmir become a police state? Can the police shoot and arrest anyone at will? Is there no accountability?”
As the uproar grew, NC legislators Javed Choudhary, Mian Mehar Ali, Javaid Mirchal, and Zaffar Ali Khatan attempted to storm the well of the House but were stopped by marshals.
Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather intervened, assuring the protesting members that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah would address their concerns.
The controversy stems from the recovery of two missing tribal youths’ bodies in Kulgam. Their families allege that they were tortured to death and are demanding a judicial probe into the incident. Protests have intensified across the region, with demonstrators calling for justice.(DD)