Verinag Halsidar Fire incident: Truth behind rumours

Arising State Desk

Sameer Ahmad

Anantnag: Last Thursday, a video clip went viral on social media in which a house was damaged in a fire incident in Halsidar ,Verinag area of Anantnag district, the locals of the area were seen angry , trying to  assault the local DDC member in the video clip ,who dropped by this village to take stock of the  situation ,after a fire incident hit the village.

The villagers of Halsidar verinag area of Anantnag district have accused the government for  failing to fulfill their demands of establishing a fire and emergency service station in the area. “We have been urging the government for the last several years to establish a fire station in the area, but nothing substantial has been done so far,” the residents told Arising state.

“House damaged in fire incident in Halsidar Verinag, locals attack DDC member for fake promises of establishment of fire and emergency station at Qammer Verinag,” a caption given by a local news portal ‘JK LIVE ‘has backfired a controversy .

While talking to Arising state Rouf Ahmad Wani who is also admin of  “JK live” news page said that  after receiving  information about the fire incident at Halsidar verinag,he  immediately rushed to the spot along with few more journalists and covered the incident ,wherein  enraged people  tried  to  assault the fire and emergency employees for reaching late on the spot. Meantime , DDC member,Peer Shahbaz  ,who was leading the employees was also attacked in the incident.

Wani alleged that the  DDC member Verinag is trying to divert the attention of his failures  in the area.He said that the DDC member Verinag has gained  maximum percentage of votes in recently held DDC elections on the pretext to provide schemes for the upliftment of poor people. But till date no such promise has been fulfilled which has caused anger among local people.He said that the DDC member has allegedly filed fake complaints against him in police station Dooru. Wani further said that DDC member  cannot tighten the noose of freedom of press.

Wani added that he has recently filed a story in which DDC member is seen abusing  BDO Verinag, now the DDC member wants to avenge him on that story, he said.

However, the DDC member Peer Shahbaz refuted the allegations and  alleged that  Journalist, Rouf Ahmad Wani who is working with several national media outlets has spread the rumors in the area that the DDC member had instructed  the fire and emergency service employees to wait for him till he reaches the spot,while the reality as per DDC member is that the fire and emergency service was already on the way ,towards the spot. He said that from last one month the said journalist is filing fake stories against him ,and is mustering  people against him,DDC member said. He further said that  the reason for inciting people against him is  vengeance on part of the said journalist.

Shahbaz further  informed Arising state  that when he heard about the fire incident at Halsidar Verinag he  immediately spoke to the concerned  SHO and instructed fire and emergency staff to reach to the spot for extinguishing the fire. He too rushed to the spot, at Halsidar Verinag however ,the local people tried to assault him. Later he got to know there that the said Journalist had spread the  rumor that Shahbaz   had asked the fire and emergency service employees to wait for him  till he reaches there. This is absolutely wrong information which he has been spreading  in the area .  Shahbaz further clarified  that he has  not filed any complaint against the said journalist ,however, police have started the investigation in this matter.

Meanwhile ,when Arising State contacted  SHO Dooru, he avoided  to speak on the topic and  dropped the call.