Srinagar, Sept 24.2010

Ten injured in clash as Curfew continues

Srinagar, Sept 24: After relative calm for past few days, at least ten persons including separatist JLKF leader and his wife and sister were injured in stone pelting clash even as curfew continued despite no strike by the hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani led Hurriyat Conference.

Officials said that a stone-pelting clash broke out in Gousiya Colony of Bemina in outskirts of here late in the evening. The police and security forces, they said, tried to chase away the protesters using batons and firing a few teargas canisters. However, the security forces were prompted to fire pallets as the mob refused to relent. Ten persons sustained pellet injuries in the process.

Among the injured, they said, include separatist JKLF leader Showkat Ahmad Bakshi, his wife Shahmeema and sister, Qurat-ul-Aiyan. The sources said that it was not immediately known as to how the trio sustained the injuries and whether they were part of the mob or were onlookers. “The injured family members were shifted to JVC Bemina from where they were referred to SKIMS Soura for specialized treatment.

A police spokesman here said that late in the evening “some miscreants” tried to defy the curfew restrictions and resorted to heavy stone pelting on security forces at the venue.

“In an effort to control the situation by the security forces, three persons including one lady sustained minor injuries,” the spokesperson added.

Elsewhere, curfew continued with periodic relaxations in parts of South and north Kashmir.

Officials said that authorities relaxed curfew restrictions in Trehgam and Kralpora of northern Kupwara district from 1530 to 1800 hours while in the main town, restrictions were eased from 1515 to 1830 hours.

In Anantnag and Bijbehara in South Kashmir, the restrictions were relaxed from 1630 to 1900 hours while in neighbouring Kulgam the curfew was relaxed from 1600 onwards.

In central Kashmir’s Kangan and Ganderbal areas, Curfew was eased from 1600 to 1900 hours. The restriction were eased for few hours in Sopore town from 0700 hours to 1000 hours, the officials added.

Meanwhile, Hurriyat Conference led by hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani plans to issue his future protest calendar keeping in view examination schedule of students, Speaking to this newspaper at his Hyderpora residence, where he is currently under house arrest, Geelani declared that the protest calendar would be issued keeping in view the upcoming examination of the students in the valley. “We are in complete touch with parents and students (appearing from the exams) and the next protest calendar would be issued in league with the examination date sheet on Sunday,” he said. Geelani also announced a break in strike protest for tomorrow and day after while castigated government for imposing unjustifiable curfew. “There was no strike call for yesterday or today, but administration kept people caged without any justification.”