Curfew imposed in parts of Budgam after protests over porn clip

Truck of main accused torched, house ransacked; DC, SSP chip in to defuse crisis

SYED ALI SAFVI

BUDGAM, Dec 16: Curfew was imposed in three villages of central Kashmir’s Budgam district following violent protests by villagers against a pornographic MMS clip, showing a local youth in a compromising position with a girl inside his truck.
Pertinently, this is the second incident of this nature to occur in the district in a month.
After the objectionable video surfaced at Nasrullahpora, adjacent to Budgam district headquarters, yesterday, the irate residents marched towards nearby hamlet of Dahpora and pelted stones and ransacked the house of the main accused involved in the clip. The protestors, according to eyewitnesses, torched the tipper of the accused and set ablaze the clothes of his family members and looted the belongings.
As the situation went out of control, large contingents of police and paramilitary CRPF personnel were deployed in the area and curfew like restrictions were imposed by the authorities in three villages – Nasrullahpora, Dahpora, Tekipora – to prevent further damage, loss or injury and prevent the issue taking a sectarian hue as the accused belongs to Muslim minority sect.
The Budgam police had arrested the accused last evening from Dahpora and a filed a case of rape under section 376 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC).
“The accused has been arrested and a case under section 450, 67 IT, 292, and 376 has been registered against him,” Uttam Chand, SSP Budgam, told Kashmir Times.
SHO Budgam said that the youth had circulated the video clip to his friends. He said that although the girl’s identity has not yet been ascertained, but as per the video clip she appears to be “mature”.
Meanwhile, DC Budgam, Mohammad Rafi, and SSP Budgam visited the curfew bound village of Nasrullapora this afternoon to defuse the crisis. They interacted with the respectable citizens and sought their support in restoring normalcy in the area.
“The villagers assured them that they will ensure that peace and stability are restored in the area,” SHO Budgam, who is stationed at Nasrullapora from last evening, told KTNS. “Situation is under control now and the restrictions have been partially lifted.”
Pertinently, on November 14, as valley was celebrating Children’s day, a video showing a minor school girl in a compromising position was distributed to the mobile users.
The irate protestors had ransacked the house of the main accused. A case of rape under section 376 was registered and the main accused was arrested.
Significantly, the first incident of a similar nature had taken place in August 2006 in the district.
On August 5, 2006 a video showing a minor girl in compromising position surfaced in the town. The video was shot at a local private school and had been shot by the younger son of a senior government employee, posted in the district, and running the school.
The case, however, was taken to a Sharia Adalat (religious court) of Aga Syed Hasan Al-Moosvi, president of Anjumani Sharie Shiayan, a Shia Muslim religious body.