Kashmir 12 sept 2010

Violent clashes despite ‘strict’ curfew in Kashmir

Injured man succumbs; Over 3 dozen injured in fresh violence

Srinagar, Sept 12:

While as authorities’ responded Eid day violence with “strict” curfew, unruly mob Sunday set ablaze a government school and attacked house of education minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed. Over a three-dozen persons were injured, few of them with bullets, in fresh incidents of violence even as a man injured in Palhalan Pattan in north Kashmir succumbed to wounds, taking the death count to five in the September 6 incident in the northern Kashmir town.

“Following the yesterday’s violent incidents across the Valley, administration today clamped ‘strict’ Curfew in Srinagar City, Anantnag, Bijbehara, Pulwama, Old Sopore and Baramulla towns,” a police spokesman said. The authorities also clamped strict restrictions elsewhere on the only second day of the Eid-ul-Fitr. As per official sources, the clampdown has been imposed for indefinite period for 24x7.

However, despite restrictions hundreds of stone-pelting protesters took to streets in many parts of the Valley.

Six persons were injured in clashes between law enforcing agency and stone-pelting mobs at Lethpora in Anantnag district of South Kashmir.

Official said that a group of youth resorted to heavy stone pelting on security forces deployment and also tried to attack Police Lines, Awantipora. Police and paramilitary CRPF used batons and tear smoke shells to disperse the mob. However, as the mob did not relent, police used fire. In police action and mob retaliation, they said, six persons including two cops were injured. A youth, Mudassar Ahmad son of Mohammad Ashraf resident of Bagh-i-Nishat sustained bullet and has been admitted in hospital where his condition was stated to be stable.

A stone-pelting mob also attacked house of Minister for Education Peerzada Mohammad Syed at Damhal Khushipora in the southern district. Policemen deployed on security duty of the congress minister fired few shors before police and security forces reached the spot to disperse the surcharged mobs. A youth, Salim Ahmad Malik son of Gulzar Ahmad sustained bullet injury and his condition is stated to be serious.

Massive stone pelting incident was also reported near Drangbal Pampore on Srinagar-Jammu highway in Pulwama district.

Three persons were injured when police resorted to teargas canisters and fired few rounds in air near DC Office Shopian. The injured have been admitted in sub district hospital.

Some miscreant, officials said, burnt down Government Middle School alongwith its record at Wangam, Kralgund Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.

In adjoining Baramulla district, mobs clashed with heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces.

At least fifteen persons including eight policemen were injured in clashes near Azad Gunj in Baramulla town despite strict curfew.

A police spokesman here said that a CRPF Mobile bunker was attacked with a petrol bomb and suffered minor damage.

Clashes were reported from other curfew bound areas including Pothkhak-Sopore were a stone pelting mob attacked police stations.

Over half a dozen persons were injured after security forces and policemen used force to chase a heavy stone pelting mob at Bandipora town. One of the injured, Mohammad Ibrahim Bhat son of Ghulam Ahmad of Watpora Bandipora sustained bullet injury. He has been shifted to SMHS Hospital here for the treatment and his condition is reported to be critical.

In Srinagar, stone pelting clashes were reported from several areas including Boatman Colony Bemina, Sabzi Mundi Soura and Gowkadal. Police and security forces opened fire at Gow-Kadal in which a youth, Samir Ahmad Bhat son of Ghulam Mustafa resident of Gow-kadal got injured. He has been hospitalized.

In central Kashmir’s Budgam district, a youth Mohammad Rafiq Dar son of Abdul Samad of Narkara Budgam sustained grave injury after police opened fire to chase away a stone-pelting mob near Galwanpora-Hyderpora. He has been shifted to Bone and Joints Hospital-Srinagar for treatment, the officials added.

Meanwhile, an elderly person, injured in police firing on September 06 in Palhalan Pattan, succumbed to injuries at SKIMS here, taking the death count in current wave of violence in the Valley to 71. Four persons including a teenager had died when the police opened fire on the day. The elderly, Mohammad Ashraf Mir, had suffred serious wounds in the neck, was declared dead after doctors took him off the life support system to assess his condition at SKIMS hospital this afternoon, the sources said.

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No local TV news in Kashmir

Srinagar, Sept 12:

As the police and security forces refused to honor curfew passes issued by information department, the local news channels in Kashmir could to air the already restricted news bulletins.

“We were nearly heckled by the security forces while we were on way to office,” crew members of JK Channel said. “A CRPF officer abused us as we showed the curfew passes and directed us to return back and threatened serious consequence in case we proceed forward,” they said.

Most of the local newspaper organizations are closed here in wake of the holiday on Eid eve.

Meanwhile, in a handout a police spokesman said that uniformed men facilitated the movement of ambulances and those people having extreme exigency and also connected with essential services. “Vehicles connected with essential services like Water supplies, Electricity etc were allowed to move. Safe passage was also provided to airport borne passengers from different places, where curfew was in place.” The spokesman said that in this context, instructions from authorities were conveyed to the law enforcing agencies, well in advance.