Manchowa, Kralpora residents accuse police of ‘vandalism’

Srinagar: Residents of Manchowa and Kralpora areas located on the outskirts of Srinagar on Sunday accused police of damaging windowpanes of houses and shop fronts of various shops.

The locals said that some minor boys had blocked Alamdar road near Manchowa Bagh-e-Mehtab Railway Bridge. In the meantime the police team rushed to the spot leading to clashes for some time between the police and youths.

After chasing the youth, the police went on rampage in the interiors of Manchowa and Kralpora and started damaging glass fronts of shops and windowpanes of several houses.

“Look what kind of damage they (police) did. Neither here in Kralpora was any law and order problem nor was any stone pelting, a posse of cops came and let a reign of terror here and then left,” a local woman said.

“They are themselves responsible for vitiating the atmosphere,” another woman said and urged people higher ups to take stern action against police personnel including the Station House Officer (SHO) responsible for vandalizing property in the area.

“The way these police personnel conducted themselves seems that they are accountable to none but we urge higher ups to ensure that stern action is taken against the policemen so that people have faith that rule of law applies uniformly,” the people said. Meanwhile, despite repeated attempts, concerned police officers could not be contacted for the comments. (GNS)