Srinagar: J&K Finance Minister Abdur Rahim Rather’s cavalcade was attacked with kangris and stones in Chrar-e-Sharif area of Budgam district on Sunday evening, prompting police to fire teargas canisters, reports said Monday.
Rather was on way to Srinagar from the central Kashmir township when the residents of Chanmohalla and Watkaloo intercepted his cavalcade. The people complained about scarcity of electricity and blockade of roads after recent snowfall. The agitated people forced Rather to de-board his car to have firsthand experience of their problems.
“However, this didn’t go well with some men, who were accompanying the minister. This led war of words between the two sides. The situation took ugly turn when the locals chanted anti-government slogans and attacked minister’s cavalcade with kangris,” reports quoted eyewitnesses as saying.
The security guards of the minister, they said, used batons and fired teargas canisters to disperse the agitated protesters. This led to clashes.
Station House Officer Chrar-e-Sharief, Manzoor Ahmed, told a local news agency that some residents intercepted the Finance Minister’s cavalcade to apprise him about their problems. The police officer, however, denied reports of attack on the minister.

Reader correspondent