As the J&K Police today issued summons to two of its Deputy Superintendent of Police-rank officers for questioning in the Srinagar sex abuse scandal, the Valley witnessed a complete shutdown and a string of protest marches. Eleven persons, including two policemen, were injured in clashes.

Violent mobs protesting what they called “official patronage” of “trafficking of girls including minors” tried to storm the residence of 45-year-old Sabina who was recently arrested for being the alleged kingpin.

Kashmir’s head priest and Hurriyat chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq castigated the government: “We will closely monitor the (government’s) investigations. Those who claim to represent us and who have to dispense justice also figure in this,” Mirwaiz told a massive Friday prayer gathering at Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid.

The police issued summons to two officers, Dy SP Pattan Mohammad Ashraf and Dy SP (Counter Insurgency Kashmir) Mohammad Yousuf for questioning. “The much delayed beginning in the questioning of senior police officers has formally begun,” a senior police officer said.

As the police begin investigating their own officers, they had to face public wrath in Srinagar’s old city where thousands thronged the streets seeking punishment for the guilty politicians, police and security force officers.

Then, it seemed, all roads led to Habba Kadal, where Sabina’s house is. An angry mob stormed the house. People, including children, smashed its roof, battered its walls and windows and tossed articles out of the house. Later, they made a bonfire of these items.

Among them: photographs of senior politicians, nameplates and badges of JK Police and BSF men, condoms and CDs. Clashes between the police and the mob continued for hours and the police had to fire in the air and lob smoke shells to disperse the crowd.

... contd.