Hizbul Mujahideen behind attacks on mobile vendors: Police

Jammu and Kashmir Police Saturday said separatist guerrilla outfit Hizbul Mujahideen is involved in attacks on mobile vendors which has led to disruption in telecommunication services in many parts of north Kashmir.

"Undoubtedly they (Hizbul Mujahideen) are involved in these attacks and so far our information is that...," state police chief K. Rajendra Kumar said at a press conference here to a query whether the outfit was behind these attacks.

Lesser-known guerrilla outfit Lashkar-e-Islam had claimed responsibility for four attacks in the past one week in which two people associated with mobile business have been killed, after police removed a communication device atop a mobile tower, which was reportedly used by guerrillas in Sopore district to improve their communication network.

Police say certain leads in the investigations so far prove Lashkar-e-Islam is the brainchild of Hizbul Mujahideen.

Except state-run BSNL, almost all the telecom outlets of different companies have remained shut in Sopore town and its adjoining areas due to fear of attacks.

But the director general of police assured action and protection.

"Let me assure you, we will take action. Law shall prevail. Yesterday (on Friday), we had a meeting of our officers and stakeholders whose business has suffered. Whatever needs to be done, we will do that and telecom services will be restored as soon as possible," he said.

On the recent remarks of international rights watchdog Amnesty international that authorities in Jammu and Kashmir must prohibit use of pellet-firing shotguns during policing demonstrations, Rajendra Kumar said police would like to avoid any kind of casualties while dealing with demonstrations.

"We will try to minimize any sort of casualty, after all, they (the demonstrators) are our boys. We want to engage youth in prospective activities to harness their talent," he said.

He said the state police is going to organise a Police-Public Cricket Premier League under the programme 'Play for peace with Jammu and Kashmir Police' for youth here which will begin from June 6.

"It will be a mega cricket event and a platform for our youth to display their talent and move forward towards a bright future. A total of 556 players will participate in the tournament. More and more youth should participate in this event," the DGP said.