An indefinite curfew has been imposed in the Bhaderwah town of Doda district when communal tension mounted in the highly sensitive belt of the mountainous region of Jammu province.
While Deputy Commissioner Doda has imposed restrictions in most parts of the district, a curfew has been imposed in some parts of Bhaderwah town this evening when a large number of people came on the streets to protest against a "highly provocative" speech from a religious place.
Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Jammu Range, Mukesh Singh, who is also holding the charge of Inspector General of Police (IGP) warned that anyone taking law their hands will not be spared. Action under the law is being taken.
Amid tension in Doda district in general and Bhaderwah town in particular, section 144 has also been imposed in neighbouring Ramban district as a precautionary measure.
The situation started becoming tense in the afternoon when a religious leader used threatening language against some members of another community in his hate speech.
Tension was simmering after vandalization of Vasuki Nag temple
Tension was developing in the area for the past two days after an ancient temple in Bhaderwah was desecrated. An SIT has been formed to probe the incident.
Today provocative speech by a religious leader added fuel to the already communally charged atmosphere.
Massive protests erupted in the whole Jammu province against the vandalization of the temple.
The agitators blocked the roads at several places in the town as they demanded from the administration to arrest those involved in the vandalism of idols of Shri Vasuki Nagraj Maharaj at Kailash Kund of Vasuki Nag Temple in Bhaderwah town. The temple is owned by the Dharmarth Trust.
Vikramaditya Singh, the grandson of the last Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh, who is a trustee of the Dharmarth Trust, has raised the matter of vandalism at the temple with the local administration and appealed to the public to maintain peace and communal harmony.
Vasuki Nag temple is located in Kailash Kund at an altitude of 13,500ft. J&K Dharmarth Trust along with the local Hindu Samitis escort the annual Kailash Yatra to the temple.
An FIR has been lodged against unidentified people at Bhadarwah Police station. Police said that the incident is being investigated and a team has been already deputed to the high altitude lake Kailash Kund to ascertain the facts.
