Curfew was imposed in Bhaderwah town of Doda district in Jammu on Thursday night following communal tension.
Tension spread in the area after inflammatory speeches were allegedly delivered from a mosque. The speeches were made during a protest against derogatory comments by a BJP spokesperson about the Prophet Muhammad.
Purported video clips of the inflammatory speeches went viral on social media. “Action has been taken (over inflammatory speeches). A case has been registered under IPC sections 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) at Police Station Bhaderwah,” an official said.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 were imposed in the adjoining district of Ramban after the tension at Bhaderwah, news agency reported. Reports said curfew has also been imposed in Kishtwar district.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh tweeted about the incident on Friday. He wrote “I am deeply disturbed by the unpleasant situation that developed in #Bhaderwah yesterday. I humbly appeal to the elders and the heads of the two communities to sit together to maintain the traditional harmony for which the beautiful town of Bhaderwah has always been known for. Meanwhile, I am in constant touch with DC Doda Sh Vikas Sharma and Divisional Commissioner Jammu Sh Ramesh Kumar. DC Doda and SSP Doda are presently camping in Bhaderwah and personally monitoring the situation.”
Former chief minister and NC leader Omar Abdullah tweeted “I hope cooler heads prevail. J&K has enough problems without adding to them with communal tension spreading in & around Bhadarwah [Bhaderwah]. I appeal to everyone to maintain calm & ask my party colleagues to help normalise the situation at the earliest.”
Last week, there were protests in Bhaderwah after the Lord Vasuki Nag temple was vandalised. Earlier this week, the police constituted a special investigation team to probe the alleged vandalism.