Agitated over the suicide of a Tata Sumo driver following alleged torture by the police, people on Thursday attacked police station Thathri and torched two police vehicles. The police on the other hand opened fire in air and resorted to teargas shelling and cane charge upon the protesters. The ding dong battle continued till hours together which led to injuries to over two dozen persons, including cops. Demanding registration of case against police station Thathri and other cops involved in torture of driver, the locals decided to observe complete strike on Friday.
It was second time just in last couple of months that the angry mob directly clashed with the police attacked the police station. Some cops including SHO were injured while in retaliatory action of police some protesters were also injured.
Reports said that the clash between the police and public occurred when a 19 year-old Mohammad Rafi, son of Nazir Ahmed Mochi of Nagni Pashalla Tehsil Gundoh district Doda, a driver of a Tata Sumo, allegedly committed suicide by jumping in river Chenab after being beaten up by police at Thathri. The driver was on his way from Jammu to Doda and on reaching near Thathri, he was interrupted by the police party led by inspector Ravinder Kumar Rakwal, SHO, police station Thathri. He was reportedly harassed by the police.