DODA: A complete shutdown call against alleged high-handedness of police on common people, including villagers, women and lawyers who participated in yesterday’s protests paralysed normal life in Doda with most of the town observing a strike.
The call for shutdown was issued by Bar Association Doda and Civil society who alleged that Distt administration and police not only used force against common people and lawyers but also lodged fake FIRs to harass them.
Today, a complete shutdown was observed in Doda town and a peaceful protest rally was also held, demanding immediate withdrawal of FIRs against Bar members and civilians and also posting of all sanctioned doctors in Distt Hospital Doda.
Pertinently, yesterday villagers most of them parents of toddlers, protested outside DC Office against the non-availability of child specialist in Distt Hospital Doda. The parents joined by members of civil society and Bar Association were demanding immediate posting of pediatrician or making alternate arrangement for ailing toddlers and children.
Reportedly when no one from District Administration came to listen to the protesting villagers for four hours, protesters most of them women joined by members of Bar Association and Civil Society tried to force their entry into DC Office, which prompted administration to lodge FIR against some of the protesting parents and lawyers. Consequent upon this police arrested a couple of protesters and also launched a man hunt to arrest a lawyer Babar-ul-Islam.
This act of police and civil administration infuriated civil society and Bar Association resulting in today’s Bandh call.
“The police action and attitude of civil administration is totally uncalled for, as they are trying to harass common man by levelling false and fabricated allegations, which can not be tolerated and we will fight tooth and nail to save the rights of a citizen,” said President Bar Association Doda Asim Hashmi. “The FIRs lodged against Bar members and protesting parents should be immediately withdrawn and doctors be posted in the District Hospital at the earliest failing which we will not only continue but intensify our protest,” Bar President added. Meanwhile the protest passed off peacefully as administration has deployed several columns of police and CRPF to thwart any untoward Incident.