Kashmir explodes on aug first

Kashmir explodes

9 killed in fresh violence, toll likely to go up

Srinagar, August 01:

At-least nine people including a 17-year-old girl were killed and over hundred injured, many of the critically, as violence escalated to new height on Sunday across the valley, particularly south Kashmir. With the killings, the death toll has gone up to 15 in last three days and is likely to rise as many of the injured are very critical, the official sources said.

They said that at-least five people were killed and more than twenty injured in an explosion inside police post at Khrew in the southern Pulwama district after a rampaging mob set it afire.

They said that said the explosion could have occurred either due to the explosion of gas cylinders inside the police Check post or the ammunition which blew up during the fire.

Three among the five have been identified as Mohammad Anwar Lone, Javed Ahmad Sheikh and Ayoub Ahmad Sheikh. “The death toll in the incident is likely to rise,” the officials added.

The explosion sound was heard many kilometers, shattering the window panes in many residential houses.

Earlier, a 17-year-old girl Afroza Bano and a youth Reyaz Ahmad were killed and two others critically injured when policemen opened fire in after a rampaging mob attack attacked the Khrew police post.

Two persons were killed when police opened fire to disperse highly discharging mob, who blocked national highway and snatched weapons from security personnel in the neighboring Pampore town on the outskirts of the city.

The situation town, known for quality saffron, turned ugly when angry protesters blocked highway at a number of places by erecting barricades from Pantha Chowk to Pampore, a police spokesman said.

“Huge mobs blocked the Highway at Galander, Kadlabal, Barsoo, Frastabal and Pampore. The unruly mobs set the office cum residence of Tehsildar on fire besides torching a Police vehicle and damaging a number of them,” the spokesman said, adding, “Miscreants snatched weapons from the local Court Guard. They also resorted to heavy pelting on Police Station and the deployments. Even some unidentified militant fired upon the security force from amongst them.”

The police and the security forces used cane charge and tear smoke shells to stop these mobs, however, they did not relent, forcing security forces to use the fire, the spokesman said.

“Two persons Nayeem Ahmad Shah son of Bashir Ahmad and Rayees Ahmed Shah son of Abdul Rashid of Khunmoh died,” the spokesman said. Eight civilians and 45 police and CRPF personnel were injured in the violent incidents in Pulwama and Awantipora which included a SSP, a CO of CRPF, besides others, said the spokesman.

Reports of widespread violence and clashes between unruly mobs and the security forces were received from Zeewan, Nishat, Shah Mohalla Parimpora, Nowhatta, Rainawari and Khanyar in Srinagar city where mobs defied curfew and attacked security forces. One person identified as Hafeez Ahmad son of Mohammad Yaqoob was critically injured at Danderkah area in Batamaloo area of the civil lines.

Violence was also reported from Baramulla, Sopore and Naidkhai in Baramulla and Bandipora districts of the north Kashmir. Three persons sustained bullet wound security forces opened fire to quell highly angered protesters at Naidkhai. Late evening reports said that an unruly mob set ablaze block office Pattan.

Reports of protest were also received from Ganderbal towns as also Budgam in the central Kashmir.

When this report was filed, protests were going on almost at every where in Kashmir where curfew was imposed all districts barring Kupwara as strict restrictions prevailed in the frontier district.