All the 22 persons arrested for torching vehicles and damaging public property in Jammu on Tuesday were released on Wednesday by the police following a meeting held between Health Minister Bali Bhagat, police and civil administration officers, and leaders of RSS and VHP. Sources said that the meeting, held at the PWD guest house, was dominated by the RSS-VHP men who threatened a “2008-like agitation” if the arrested persons were not released by 6pm.
The right-wing leaders at the meeting included prominent lawyer and former BJP leader Leela Karan Sharma, who spearheaded an anti-Kashmir campaign in Jammu region in 2008 during the Amarnath land row.
Sources said that the right-wing leaders were adamant on the release of the 22 persons who were arrested by the police for arson and damaging public property in the protests that broke out on Tuesday over the desecration of a temple by a man who turned out to be a lunatic. Two buses of police public school and five private cars were torched by an unruly mob after the news about the sacrilegious act spread in the area.
At the meeting held at the PWD guest house, police officers were initially reluctant to succumb to the demands and insisted on filing cases against the arrested persons, sources said. However, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and RSS activists exerted pressure and asked the authorities to release the arrested persons by 6pm. Later, an agreement was arrived at between the two sides on the release of the 22 persons. Bali Bhagat late in the evening announced that all arrested persons will be released.
VHP leader Leela Karan told reporters that the authorities had agreed to release all the arrested persons. “This has prevented the situation to go out of hand. Otherwise there was scope for widespread protests,” he said.
SSP Jammu Sunil Gupta said that the detained persons were being released after taking their photographs and finger prints.
On Wednesday, a complete shutdown was observed in Janipur area, where the temple is situated, and mild protests were held in Purani Mandi and Kacchi Chawni pockets of Jammu city, disrupting normal life.
VHP ensures release of 22 rioters in Jammu
