Forces go ‘Berserk’ during nocturnal raids at old Barzulla

They damaged our household items, stole valuables, allege Inhabitants; police refutes

Residents of Old Barzulla area of uptown here on Sunday accused the forces of going “berserk” during nocturnal raids.
The aggrieved residents also accused the forces of “stealing cash and gold worth lakhs of rupees” besides damaging household goods including electronic gadgets.

Residents of Ganai Mohalla Barzulla said at around 4 am on Sunday, forces including Police, SoG and paramilitary CRPF men barged into the locality. “They were carrying knives and iron roads with them. The forces personnel smashed window panes and household items. They almost targeted 15 residential houses. It was like a doomsday,” said a group of residents, pointing towards the damage caused by the forces.
Manzoor Ahmed Magray, a resident said that due to the fear he ran away from his house. “For a moment, I thought I would die of a heart attack. After I returned, I saw all the household items including refrigerator, television, window panes broken. My family members told me that forces were carrying axes and knives,” Magray said.
A group of wailing woman said that the “forces including SoG men created fear by shouting at them.” “They damaged vehicles and household goods worth lakhs of rupees,” they said pointing towards broken doors, windows, refrigerators, washing machines and other valuables. The residents also alleged the forces damaged two laptops of students. “They were looking for youth. During the raid, they detained least 15 youth of the area,” they alleged.

Another group of locals alleged that forces stole Rs three lakh cash and jewellery from the house of one Muhammad Abbas Zargar. “They broke down doors, windows, and other valuable items. They also smashed windscreen of some vehicles which were parked in our premises,” they alleged.
The residents including some elderly people said that the nocturnal raid was totally “unprovoked and unjustified.” “It was a night full of fear for us. We didn’t sleep at all and instead spend the entire night on the roads,” they said. On Sunday morning, the forces, according to locals, made another round of the locality and broke window panes of a few houses to “create fear” among the residents.
Meanwhile, police said some “wanted miscreants” belong to the area. “Today morning, police went in the locality to arrest them. Some of the locals created a ruckus. However, some miscreants were arrested. We refute the allegations that any damage was caused to the household items etc,” police said in a statement. “The allegations of harassment of women are also baseless,” the statement added.