BARAMULLA: People violating lockdown orders faced tough action from the authorities on Saturday. In Srinagar, police arrested a shopkeeper, identified as Sajad Ahmad Wani, resident of Bunpora in Nowgam. He, according to police the spokesperson, has been lodged in Police Station Nowgam.
A case under relevant sections of law has been registered against the person, police said.
In Bandipora, two teachers were placed under immediate suspension for violating prohibitory orders. The duo was identified as Bashir Ahmad Mir, lecturer of Zoology with DIET Bandipora, and Mufti Farhat, a teacher in Arin. Their suspension order, issued by Deputy Commissioner Bandipora, says they defied restrictions orders and put the general public of Arin at risk.
On Friday, a video circulated on social media showing a policeman using abusive language while asking people to stay indoors. He made the abusive announcements with a loudspeaker while moving in a police vehicle in north Kashmir. After huge outrage on social media, police said they have suspended the cop and filed a case against him.
“A video was circulated on social media where it was alleged that a police personal was making announcement in an abusive manner. An FIR has been lodged in this connection and the official has been disengaged forthwith from the department,” tweeted the J&K Police on late Friday evening.
In another video, a father-son duo was seen in an altercation with police in Baramulla. Police say they have filed a case against the duo for using abusive language and manhandling a policeman on duty.
Official sources said that a police party on duty near Sangrama stopped a private car, bearing registration number JK15/8030, in which a father and son were on way to Delina from Sangrama. The sources said that as the police asked them to provide proper reasons of their travel, both father and son failed to do so, whereupon they were asked to go back. However, they attacked a policeman on duty and used abusive language against him. Taking strong note, police have registered FIR under Section 188/269/353 IPC against Ghulam Rasool Wani and his son Suhail Ahmed Wani, residents of Baramulla.
Meanwhile, police booked a BDC chairman in Handwara area after he got into a scuffle with a police party on duty. Sources said that police booked the Block Development Council (BDC) chairman in Vilgam area of Handwara and he is in police custody for the past two days after he violated government orders. Police said that he was moving freely in the area when a team of police stopped him and advised to stay in his home. However, he manhandled a cop. The person, Mohammad Yasin Sheikh, also used abusive language against the police team, police said, adding that an FIR under Section 188, 353, 506 has been lodged against him.
The official Twitter handle of J&K Police said that 29 people were arrested in Handwara for violating the lockdown.

Mushtaq Ahamd