Jammu, January 1
The police have released 18 people who were detained during the protests against the ropeway project in Kattra. The Jammu and Kashmir administration announced their release on Tuesday night. The administration has formed a four-member committee to hold talks with the protesters. As long as the talks between the committee and the protesters continue, the work on the ropeway project will remain suspended.
The spokesperson of Sri Mata Vaishnu Devi Sangharsh Samiti said, “18 persons who were detained, including some leaders, have been released from the jails of Reasi and Udhampur in the early morning on Wednesday around one o’clock. On reaching Kattra, hundreds of people greeted him with the slogans of ‘Jai Mata Di’.
Samiti leader Bhupinder Singh, who is among the released leaders, said, “This is a victory for the people of Katra, who stand together with us.” Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar held a wide-ranging discussion with civil society members, after which It was decided that all the detained persons would be released and the markets would reopen. Kumar said that the longer the talks continue, the longer the work on the ropeway project will be stopped. The four-member committee formed by the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir includes CEO of Mata Vaishnu Devi Shrine Board Dr. Ashok Bhan, Divisional Commissioner and Board member Suresh Sharma. Kattra, which is the base camp for the darshan of Mata Vaishnu Devi, has remained closed for a week due to protests against the proposed ropeway project on the hills of Trikula in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district. -News-Patiala
