Srinagar/Islamabad, Aug 18:
One person sustained bullet injuries and more than a dozen were injured in police and CRPF action on Wednesday as government clamped curfew in Srinagar and major towns of Kashmir to foil the marches called by Syed Ali Shah Geelani-led Hurriyat Conference against the killings in the Valley. The recent unrest marked by almost continuous shutdown across the valley completed 69 days today.
Police and CRPF swung into action in Narbal on Srinagar-Varmul highway to disperse a huge protest rally which was demonstrating against killing of a local boy, Muhammad Umar Dar, in firing by CRPF four days ago. One person was shot in Tarigam village of Kulgam district when police and CRPF fired at a protest rally.
Geelani had asked people of summer capital to march towards HMT here and those from other districts including Varmul and Islamabad to respective district headquarters and houses of those killed in police and CRPF firing.
CENTER KASHMIR
A huge protest rally was taken out in Narbal on Srinagar-Varmul highway against the killing of Umar. Carrying placards with his pictures, the protestors including women and youth shouted pro-freedom and anti-India slogans. Though the angry protestors burnt worn-out tyres at many places on the highway, there was no stone pelting incident reported from the area.
However, eyewitnesses said situation worsened when police and CRPF fired several teargas canisters and resorted to aerial firing to disperse the procession. Among the injured are Umar Habeeb, Adil Ahmad, and Hanief Malik.
Authorities sealed all roads leading to HMT with heavy presence of police and CRPF on roads lined by barbed wires, barricades and drop gates. Strict curfew was imposed in other areas of the city including the outskirts like Chanapora, Sonwar which connect the summer capital with other districts. In downtown here heavy deployment of forces on roads and inner streets of Mohallas prevented people from venturing out of their homes.
People attempted to carry out protest rallies in Natipora and Barzulla here which were thwarted by the forces. Reports about protest demonstrations were also received from Nishat and other areas of the city.
Massive protests erupted at HMT on the city outskirts this afternoon with people attempting to take out a protest rally. However, police and CRPF which was deployed in large numbers in the area swung into action and resorted to aerial firing and fired several teargas canisters to disperse the protestors, reports said.
The high-handedness of CRPF triggered massive protest demonstrations in Sidiqabad Batamaloo. Eyewitnesses told Greater Kashmir that CRPF troopers barged into residential houses, beaten up inmates and ransacked the household items without provocation. After the incident, scores of youth took to streets and fought pitched battles with troopers, which last for many hours.
Protests were held in different areas of Budgam district including Kralpora, Wathora, Chadoora and Charar-i-Sharief. However there was no report of any untoward incident.
Complete shutdown was observed in this district. Police chased away scores of youth who had gathered at Dudarhama to protests against the killing, triggering stone pelting by protesters.
Chanting pro freedom slogans, people staged protest demonstration at Srinagar-Leh highway near Dursum Haripora. However, police resorted to lathi-charge to disperse them.
SOUTH KASHMIR
Curfew remained enforced in almost all towns of south Kashmir even as police and paramilitary forces used force to disperse peaceful protests which erupted in many villages. While Islamabad town continued to remain under curfew for the 6th straight day, Tral township was put under curfew for second consecutive day.
Elsewhere in Pulwama, Kakpora, Kulgam, Bijbehara and Mattan curfew was re-imposed after a day’s gap. However, massive demonstrations broke out in many villages even as government forces used force to disperse the protesters injuring several of them.
Following Tuesday’s firing on a procession in which a dozen people were injured, curfew was strictly enforced in Kokernag and its adjoining areas of Biddar and Hangalgund. However, people from many other villages including Naripura, Watinad, Sagam, Boochu, Zalangam, Hilad, Dehran, Harpora, Badasgam, Mohripura, Naar, Khalihar and Nagam staged massive pro-freedom demonstrations.
Paramilitary CRPF men and police used force on the peaceful processions at Boochu, Sagam, Zalangam and Hilad. They resorted to aerial firing, baton charge and fired several tear gas canisters. At least eight people sustained injuries in the action by government forces.
Police and CRPF men, residents alleged, then unleashed a reign of terror in the area by barging into several houses, ransacking the house hold goods, smashing the window panes and beating up the inmates including women and children.
Meanwhile, the condition of Irfan Ahmad Khan of Naripura Watinad, injured in CRPF firing on Tuesday, continues to be critical in SKIMS.
Several people were injured in Achabal, when police and CRPF men resorted to baton charge and fired tear gas canisters to disperse a peaceful procession. Reports of protest demonstrations were received from Dooru, Shangus and Verinag.
People of Islamabad town alleged that police and CRPF men barred them from offering prayers in many Masjids. They accused forces of barging into their houses and damaging household items. In the evening when the restrictions were eased youth took to streets at various places including Khanbal, Naibasti, Laizbal, Gulshanabad and old town areas of Lal Chowk, Reeshi Bazar, Malkahnag, Cheeni Chowk and staged protests.
They engaged police and CRPF in pitched battles who retaliated by lobbing tear gas canisters and firing several rounds in air. Acting upon the call of Hurriyat (G), people of the town late in the evening marched towards Laizbal to pay tributes to slain youth, Ishad Ahmad Latoo, killed in CRPF firing five days back.
Curfew was strictly clamped in Mattan and Bijbehara towns also.
In Tarigam village of Kulgam, people offered Zuhar prayers on the roads. However, eyewitnesses said as the payers were concluded huge contingent of police and CRPF arrived on the scene and resorted to firing, tear gas shelling and baton charge.
One person identified as Basheer Ahmad Rather son of Ghulam Rasool Rather, 33, received bullet injury. He was admitted in district hospital Kulgam. Several youth some of whom were identified as Bashir Ahmad Bhat, Irshad Ahmad Sheikh, were detained by the police.
“The CRPF men went berserk and broke the window panes of several houses in a nearby Buchroo village. The window panes of a masjid were also broken by the CRPF men,” eyewitnesses said.
Curfew was strictly enforced in Kulgam and Qaimoh towns with reports of protest demonstrations from Khudwani, Redwani, Frisal, Ashmuji and Yaripora. People offered prayers on roads in these areas. In Tral township, where about a dozen people were injured in CRPF firing on Monday evening, curfew was strictly enforced with reports of pro-freedom demonstrations pouring in from the adjoining villages.
Curfew was clamped in Pulwama and Kakpora towns also. While in Pampore, Awantipora and Shopian only restrictions were imposed and people took out pro-freedom processions and prayed on the roads.
NORTH KASHMIR
Strict curfew was clamped in Varmul town and adjoining areas to thwart the march program. Authorities late Tuesday night made announcements on loudspeakers about today’s curfew. Large contingent of police and CRPF forced people to stay indoors.
Late in the evening, minor clashes were reported between the youth and police near Azadgung bridge in Varmul.
Strict restrictions were imposed in Sopur, Kupwara and other areas of north Kashmir. Large contingent of forces were seen deployed on roads to prevent people from coming out of their homes.
Residents of Trehgam alleged that paramilitary CRPF troopers and police “unleashed reign of terror” in the area.
They alleged that troopers were not allowing them to pray at Jamia Masjid.