Srinagar, Aug 27:
Many persons were injured in security forces and police action against stone-pelting demonstrators at several places even as most parts of Kashmir Valley saw a normal day on Friday.
At least forty people were injured when paramilitary CRPF and police personnel burst teargas canisters and opened fire upon protesters in several areas of the district.
Reports said hundreds of people after offering congregational Friday prayers at Jamai Masjid staged demonstrations. They tried to march through the streets of the town. However, when they reached near Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) office, a heavy posse of CRPF and policemen intercepted the marchers. The marchers offered stiff resistance and tried to break the cordon.
Troops and police lobbed teargas canisters and resorted to baton charge to disperse the protesters. In retaliation, the protesters pelted rocks and stones on the forces sparking off clashes. At least forty people, many of them suffered pallet injuries in the incident.
In the neighboring Anantnag district, at least ten people were injured in clashes this afternoon.
Reports said hundreds of people took to streets after prayers in Bijbehara area of the district and staged demonstrations. Besides raising slogans, the protesters also hurled stones on the security forces. Troops and police resorted to cane charge and fired tear smoke shells to disperse the protester. At least four people, reports said suffered injuries in the clashes.
Six people were injured when forces lobbed tears smoke shells and cane charged protesters in Sher Bagh, Srnal, Lazibal, Mattan, K P Road and other areas.
Reports of peaceful protests were also received from Kakpora, Pampore, Khrew and other areas of Pulwama district.
Protests, clashes in North Kashmir
Protests and clashes were also reported from Kupwara district of North Kashmir, where authorities had clamped curfew this morning fearing violent clashes.
Reports said that defying curfew, hundreds of people in Regipora, Darzipora, Jamia Kadeem, Trehgam, Bumhama, Handwara and other areas of the frontier district after prayers staged demonstrations. The people were protesting the recent civilian killings by armed forced.
Hundreds of people also took out a peaceful rally from Jamia Masjid up to the main Chowk. Peaceful protests were also held at Batergam, Muqam-e-ShahWali (RA), Bumhama, Kulangam, Kralgund and other areas.
“Curfew was imposed in several parts of the district to prevent law and order situation. However, after prayers the curfew was relaxed. No untoward incident took place,” Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kupwara, Mohammad Shafi said.
In Sopore town of the neighboring Baramulla district, violent clashes broke out when security forces tried to prevent people from demonstrations this afternoon.
Reports said hundreds of people, mainly youth after offering Friday prayers assembled at main chowk, Arampora, Warpora, Hathi Shah, Model town, Chinkipora, Khushaal Matoo, Baba Yusuf and staged demonstrations. Shouting slogans, the people were protesting the killing of 64 innocent civilians, including some boys by CRPF and police since June 11.
At main chowk, security forces burst teargas canisters and fired warning shots to break up the demonstrators. The protesters exchanged brick bats with the forces. In the ding-dong clashes that continued for several hours at least ten people sustained injuries.
Clashes also broke out in Khwaja Bagh area of the district where security forces used force to demonstration. Two people suffered minor injuries in the clashes.
At least seven people were injured when troops and police burst tear smoke shells and baton charged the people near Kunzer in Tangmarg who were protesting against the recent civilian deaths. Peaceful protests were also staged in Palhalan, Tapper and Singhpora.
In Bandipore district, hundreds of people in main chowk, Ajas, Sumbal, Sonawari and other areas staged peaceful demonstrations.
In Srinagar, the capital city, hundreds of people led by the Chairmen of Hurriyat Conference factions, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq staged demonstrations. Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Chairman, Mohammad Yasin Malik also led a protest demonstration in uptown Maisuma.
Groups of youth wearing masks appeared on the streets in the old city and engaged the troops and police in clashes at Nowhatta. Security forces fired numerous tear smoke shells at Gojwara and Nowhatta to disperse the youth who were hurling stones from narrow lanes and by lanes of the areas. At least five people, reports said were injured in the clashes.
Clashes also broke out in Hyderpora area of the city where at least five people were injured in the forces action.
Earlier in the day, CRPF and police burst tear smoke shells and opened several rounds in air to disperse demonstrators in Soura in outskirts of here. At least ten people, including a photojournalist identified as Shome Basu was injured in the clashes between protesters and the forces.
Meanwhile, after remaining affected for two consecutive days due to separatist strike coupled with government curbs, all shops, business establishments, private and government offices, petrol pumps and educational institutions across the valley resumed their work this morning. All the government, semi-government and private banks that resumed business activities were over crowded with the customers. Serpentine queues of people could also be witnessed outside the ATM’s. (curtsy PBI..pic Zulfiqar khan..)
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