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Thousands of Hindu protesters arrested in Jammu and Kashmir
Thousands of Hindu protesters in the Jammu region of Indian-administered Kashmir have been arrested during street protests, police say. The demonstrators were angry over the state government's reversal of a decision not to grant a small piece of land to a trust running a Hindu shrine.The original decision provoked anger in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley where the land was located. Life has returned to normal in the valley after earlier violent clashes. More than 21 people died last week in the Kashmir valley during police firing on protesters. Correspondents say that Muslim anger has not been abated despite the decision to revoke the land order. Recently protesters in the valley have been demanding either independence from India or for Kashmir to become part of Pakistan. However, a call by separatist leaders for three days without demonstrations allowed shops, businesses and schools in the valley to reopen for the first time in two weeks. Hundreds of people bought supplies in the summer capital, Srinagar. "There was little food left in our house, it is good they have called off protests for sometime," Mohammad Yaqoob told the Reuters news agency near a grocery shop in Srinagar. Correspondents say that the protests are expected to resume on Friday. After years of relative calm, the demonstrations in the valley were the biggest in a decade, analysts say. Meanwhile thousands of people were arrested and taken to jail in the Hindu-majority Jammu region on Tuesday in protest over the government's decision not to provide land to the trust. Women waving flags surrounded the police station in Jammu town and nearby areas. They chanted pro-India slogans and willingly put themselves forward to be arrested as a symbol of their protest. Police looked on as some protesters climbed into police station buildings - many were detained but were let off later, police said. In one incident in Jammu town, hundreds of protesters threw stones and clashed with police who responded with batons and tear gas. Posted by: john frum 2008-08-19 |
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