Kulgam, Nov 13: A clash broke out between supporters of PDP and National Conference workers ahead of polling in Noor Abad Consituency of district Kulgam on Thursday.
At least 12 persons including Station House Officer Kulgam Irshad Hussain were injured when hundreds of workers of NC and PDP attacked and assaulted each other outside DC office Kulgam.
Eyewitnesses told that National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party candidates Sakina Itoo and Abdul Majeed Paddar along with their workers arrived at Mini Secretariat Kulgam to file their nomination papers.
As the candidates were busy in filing their nomination papers, their workers outside violated all the norms and clashed with each other. The supporters of both the candidates tried their best to inflict maximum damage on their opponents. “I am witness to all this and I saw how PDP and NC workers engaged in stone-pelting and manhandled each other,†a government employee told.
Eyewitnesses said that even police failed o controlled that angry workers. “Police used minimum force to curb them just because they were not stone-pelters but political workers. But the fact is that they pelted stones on each other with a clear intention to hit and kill. One stone hit SHO Kulgam Irshad Hussain at his head and he received three stitches,†another eyewitness said.
Deputy Commissioner Kulgam Nisar Hussain told news agency  that the administration had made all arrangements to maintain peace and order but the angry workers resorted to violence and broke the law. He said that at least 12 persons including tow police officials were injured during the clashes.
A police official identified some of the injured as SHO Kulgam Irshad Hussain, Advocate Airaz Mushtaq, constable Mehrajuddin belt number 433, Gulshana Akhtar, Bashir Ahmed Lone, Reyaz Ahmed, Abdul Rashid Mir, Bilal Ahmed, Javid Ahmed Sofi and Abdul Ahad Wani.
