ZANSKAR: Authorities imposed curfew in picturesque Zanskar township of Kargil District on Saturday after members of hardline Buddhist faction resorted to protests against an inter-religious marriage.
Protesters set two police vehicles on fire after later tried to stop protests in this communally sensitive town.
Agitated people attacked police station Padum and took scores of policemen as hostage for hours, residents said on phone.
A resident of Padum Zanskar said that few days ago a Muslim boy Mohammad Khan son of Tayab Khan married a Buddhist girl Padma Dolma secretly in Srinagar. As the word about this inter-marriage spread in the sub-division, Zanskar Buddhist Association approached authorities and lodged complaint against Muhammad. Police swung into action and apprehended the couple from Mehjoor Nagar area of Srinagar City on Friday, he said.
A police official on condition of anonymity said that the couple was taken into custody and during questioning; the girl admitted that she was in love with Muhammad and has willingly come to Srinagar with him.
As the word about the marriage of the couple spread in Padum area of Zanskar, hundreds of agitated Buddhists came on roads and shouted anti-Muslim slogans. Eyewitnesses said that the protestors marched towards Police Station Padum and attacked it. They pelted stones on policemen and set two police vehicles on fire. Agitated protestors also resorted to stone pelting on the houses of Mohammad Iqbal and Abdul Aziz.
We are feeling unsafe as hundreds of Buddhists have assembled in Dalai Lama Monastery, one of the Muslim residents said.
Soon after the violent protests, authorities imposed curfew in Padum and its adjacent areas. Large contingent of police personnel have been deployed in the area to thwart any further protest attempts by Buddhists.
An official said that situation was under control and policemen have been deployed in strength in the area. No one would be allowed to disturb the peace in the area, he said.
Pertinently, Zanskar Sub-Division is a Buddhist majority area where Muslims are in minority. All the Muslim population is confined to Pudam town which is one of the historical towns of Jammu and Kashmir. Inter religious marriages have been common in Ladakh region but radicalisation of many members of the majority community has put a stop to the practice. With inputs from CNS
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