‘Fake reports’ trigger tension in Samba

Tribune News Service

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Jammu/Kathua, August 9

Tension prevailed in Samba town on Friday when shopkeepers, traders and businessmen closed their establishments after hearing a news report regarding the state administration’s alleged move of reorganising the districts in Jammu region.

The shutdown call was given by the Beopar Mandal, Samba, to protest the alleged move of merging Samba district with Jammu district under the reorganisation plan.

The protesting shopkeepers and traders raised slogans against the administration and warned of serious consequences. They asserted that Samba was given the status of a district after a long struggle and the people would not allow the administration to again merge it with Jammu district.

Rohit Khajuria, District Magistrate, Samba, along with senior police officers rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the protesters assuring them that no such decision had been taken by the administration. However, the protesters rejected the assurance and sought a written commitment from the District Magistrate.

The situation returned to normal only after the District Magistrate gave them a written commitment and assured that the administration would act against the people spreading “fake news”.

The police have registered an FIR against a national Hindi daily newspaper and its reporter at the Samba police station for allegedly trying to disrupt peace and law and order situation in the area. Meanwhile, the Samba incident also forced divisional administration to clarify on the issue and described the reports as “fake”, aimed at disrupting peace and harmony in J&K.

In a hurriedly called press conference, Sanjeev Verma, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, expressed anguish over the fake news in some newspapers and described the presumed reorganisation of various districts of the Union Territory as “false and mischievous”.

Slogans raised

• The protesting shopkeepers and traders raised slogans against the administration and warned of serious consequences. They asserted that Samba was given the status of a district after a long struggle and the people would not allow the administration to again merge it with Jammu district. 
• The Samba incident also forced divisional administration to clarify on the issue and described the reports as “fake”, aimed at disrupting peace and harmony in J&K.