Srinagar, April 20: To curb growing dissent in the Kupwara frontier, where protests eruped five days ago over reports of molestation of a Kashmir teenager resulting in the death of five protesters in security forces firing, State government removed bunkers of the Army from the Handwara mainchowk on Tuesday.
Incidentally, the bunkers were removed at a time when the Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were in the state.
The Army had earlier said it would look into the demand of the state government to remove the bunkers.
Sajad Gani Lone, MLA, Handwara, who is an ally of the BJP, handed over the space of the three bunkers to the Municipal Corporation, Handwara.
However, independent legislator, Engineer Rashid said, “Removal of terror bunker in the Handwara chowk and conceding to demands of locals have given legitimacy to all what people were chanting in slogans.
The main bunker in the middle of the road was a concrete structure constructed in 1993. The second bunker, which had been erected over a line of shops, was razed down last week by irate residents.
The third bunker, also constructed over shops, on right side of the market was partially damaged during the protests of last week. On Tuesday, district authorities razed down all the three bunkers.
