Srinagar: Amid rising tempers over government’s failure to nab people behind increasing braid chopping incident in Kashmir Valley, a group of foreign tourists, who had lost way, nearly become victims of the rage.
A police spokesman said at about 2 am during the intervening night of October 7 and 8, SHO Rainawari Inspector G P Singh received information from police control room Kashmir and some sources that six foreign tourists have been “rounded up” by some people in interior of Dal Lake’s Kanikachi Latti Mohalla in Rainawari. On receiving information, he said, a police team headed by Inspector G P Singh under the overall supervision of SP North Sajjad Ahmad Shah rushed to the spot instantly and “rescued” the holed up tourists.
“There has been cooperation from some locals as well. On enquiring it was found that six tourists—3 Australians, one South Korean, one from Ireland and one from England (4 males and two females), were travelling from Leh to Srinagar in a Tavera vehicle driven by Abid Hussain son of Mohd Shafi resident Doda. The group had lost way and were travelling with the help of Google Map which led them to travel across a link road showing short cut to Lal Chowk,” he said, adding, “On reaching Kanikachi Lati Mohalla, the vehicle was stopped by a group of locals who on spotting foreigners in the vehicle started hues and cries which caused a large gathering of people on spot turning into an unruly mob. However some locals started rescuing the holed up group and called police. “
With great efforts of Police and reasonable public whole group was rescued, he said. “Tourists were taken to a local Hotel and were lodged there comfortably by the police and early in the morning were seen off to their next destination,’ the spokesman added.