Several attacks on tourists in J&K: Planned or accident?
TOI has reported four instances of attacks on tourists in different parts of J&K in the last few days. Tourist vehicles were reportedly attacked by stone-pelters at Awantipora, near the Dal Lake, and at Humhama. At least four people were injured. But police have vehemently denied they were planned; rather, "the vehicles came in the middle of an area where pelting was going on."
In one incident, two women from UP were injured when a 100-strong mob pelted stones on their vehicle Sunday 8pm at Awantipora on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, TOI says citing sources. They were discharged after treatment at SMHS Hospital, Srinagar. The vehicle was damaged. Awantipora SP Zahid Ahmad confirmed the incident, but said it had taken place "somewhere near Khanabal in Anantnag" instead.
Two NRI women sustained injuries when their cab was attacked with stones at Humhama on the airport road Sunday afternoon. Taj Vivanta, where they were staying, didn't comment, but the attack was confirmed by a restaurant owner where they had lunch. Meanwhile, two buses of Indonesian tourists were attacked near Dalgate at the Dal Lake bank Sunday evening. Houseboat owners chased the mob away.
Yesterday, two tourists from Karnataka were injured when their bus was pelted with stones at Kangan. They were traveling from Sonmarg to Srinagar. Vikram Kumar, a hotel association leader, said youths had also threatened tourists in Royal Velvet Hotel at Nai Sadak and asked them to leave Srinagar. When the owner intervened, they vandalized the hotel. Some of them have been detained.
Contrary to locals' accounts, police have denied any of these were planned. "Investigations have shown no injuries to anybody were reported...two tourists got minor injuries on April 1. They were given first aid and discharged immediately." "There has been no intended attack on any tourist. It was because the vehicles came in the middle of an area where pelting was going on," they said.
In light of some people tweeting to tell me the Times of India story datelined from Srinagar was “Fake News” I’m deleting the tweet.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 3, 2018
