AJK police held 54 miscreants involved in Mirpur KFC vandalism case

MIRPUR, AJK: Azad Jammu and Kashmir police have arrested atleast 54 miscreants under different sections of the Penal Code and an anti-terrorism law for vandalising local KFC franchise in Mirpur city on Saturday.

In a statement given to the media on Saturday, senior superintendent of police for Mirpur AJK, Kamran Ali, stated that the police were searching for more culprits who were allegedly responsible for the raid on the KFC franchise located in the sector F/1 of the city.

The police statement stated that all of the accused would face justice and that raids are being conducted to identify and arrest the accused with the help of CCTV cameras.

Some of the demonstrators also forced their way inside the building, where they ransacked part of it with batons and set it on fire. However, the fire did not cause major harm as it was contained by police personnel within a short while, according to the SSP.

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He said that stone pelting left at least eight police officers, including a DSP, an Assistant Sub-Inspector of Police, ADC (G) Mirpur Muhammad Yasir, and Tehsildar Imran Yousaf Chaudhry, wounded.

Providing further details into the matter, he said, “To be very honest, the demonstration appeared to be driven less by sympathy for the oppressed Pal­estinian people and more by some other agenda, which may include political and business rivalries.”

“Further investigations is underway and will bring everything to light,” SSP Mivarpur added.

Giving details about the Friday night incident, SSP Kamran Ali said that about 300-350 people brought out a protest rally from a nearest mosque at Allama Iqbal Road chanting anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian slogans at about 9.00pm Friday, calling for a for a boycott of the fast-food products of the KFC outlet in the city.

Local PML-N leader and former AJK minister Chaudhry Muhammad Saeed owned the KFC outlet that was targeted by violent mob.