Police fire tear gas to disperse protesters in Jammu
25 Aug 2008, 1952 Hrs

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Satwari (Jammu and Kashmir), August 25 (ANI): Police fired tear gas to disperse protesters in Jammu who were trying to block Jammu-Pathankot National Highway on Monday.

The protesters in Satwari blocked the highway as a part of their 'Chakka Jam' agitation called by Shri Amarnathyatra Sangarsh Samiti (SASS).

Personnel of Rapid Action Force (RAF) had to resort to tear gas after the protesters started pelting stones at them.

About eight to ten protesters were injured in the clash.

The body fighting for restoration of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), has extended its shutdown call till August 31 and has given a call for a 12-hour traffic blockade from 6.00 a.m. on Monday.

The agitation call comes after the talks between the Samiti and a four-member panel appointed by Governor N.N. Vohra ended inconclusively but on a hopeful note.

Another round of talks on the new formula is scheduled to be held on Tuesday.

Barring the border town of Poonch, there is no curfew in the Jammu region.

Meanwhile, the Army has been given the charge of the 400-kilometre long Lakhanpur-Srinagar National Highway to ensure free flow of traffic between the Kashmir valley and the rest of the country.

According to official sources, the vehicular traffic is plying normally on the highway and fruit-laden trucks are reaching their destinations in Delhi and other places. Oil tankers and trucks, carrying essential supplies, are also reaching the valley without any disruption.

The row over the land allocated for setting up temporary facilities for Hindu pilgrims visiting Amarnath shrine in Kashmir and withdrawn later has snowballed into large-scale protests for about two months. (ANI)