Officials suspended for inciting communal clashes

JAMMU: Nine officials were on Friday suspended for allegedly inciting communal clashes in Kishtwar district of Jammu and  Kashmir that left two persons dead on August 12.      

"We have suspended nine government officials for inciting public by their provocative statements and triggering communal clashes in the district on August 12," Sudarshan Sharma, Deputy Commissioner of Kistwar, said.
       
A magisterial probe has also been ordered into the clashes and those found guilty would be severely punished, he added.
     
The action against the officials has been initiated on the basis of a report submitted by the Superintendent of Police which accused them of making provocative speeches in public and inciting communal trouble in the town.
      
The officials suspended have been identified as Hafiza, Rajesh Kumar Parihar, Aijaz Ahmed, Mushtaq Ahmed, Chander Shekhar, Mansoor Shah, Imtiyaz Ahmed, Deepak Kumar and Aijaz Akhter.
       
Two people were killed and 30 others injured in the clashes. As many as 36 buildings, including shops, and 13 vehicles were also torched in the violence.
      
Curfew was clamped in the town with authorities issuing shoot and sight orders after the clashes.