BANDIPORA: Scores of shopkeepers in North Kashmir’s Bandipora town Friday alleged that Army personnel from a local unit went on rampage on Friday evening and beat civilians and shopkeepers to pulp without any provocation.

Bandipora town as reported earlier had observed a complete shutdown against the arrest of youth and the shutdown continued for the second consecutive day on Friday against the continuous detention of youth and alleged Army highhandedness.

A shopkeeper told CNS that during late hours some of the shopkeepers were having a chat with each other when suddenly Army personnel without any reason beat them up. “They not only beat us but the locals as well who were crossing the road. They hit us with their weapon and kicked us mercilessly,” he said adding that hooliganism of Army is on rise in the town.

The shopkeepers assembled in Main Chowk Bandipora and as a mark of protest did not open their shops. Reports said that people observed complete shutdown in the town. All the shops and business establishments remained closed while transport was off the roads.

Meanwhile, villagers from Aytmulla Bandipora staged protests and demanded release of a youth Muhammad Arif who had allegedly been arrested by police for his alleged involvement in stone-pelting incidents in the town.

A top police official told CNS that after counseling, they released all the youth while their parents assured us that in future they will not indulge in stone-pelting incidents.