No relaxation in curfew restrictions in 8 major towns of Kashmir
SYED ALI SAFVI / SHABIR-UL-HAQ
SRINAGAR/ANANTNAG, Aug 20: Two more persons fell to bullets of police and paramilitary CRPF men since last evening, even as curfew was clamped in eight major towns today as a precautionary measure. With the fresh deaths, the toll of civilians killed in police and CRPF action since June 11 has risen to 62 in the last 71 days.
Despite call for half-day relaxation in the weekly-protest programme given by Syed Ali Geelani Shah-led Hurriyat Conference, fresh protests erupted across length and breadth of the besieged valley of Kashmir. The ensuing clashes between protestors and the men in uniform left at least 200 persons injured, including assistant commander of CRPF and sub-inspector of police.
Eighteen-year-old, Mudassir Ahmad, son of Nazir Ahmad Hajam, who was critically injured in CRPF firing at Hajjam Mohalla of Sopore in Baramulla district yesterday evening succumbed to his injuries at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) here this morning.
According to reports, Mudassir sustained injuries when a patrolling party of paramilitary CRPF men 177 battalion, led by an assistant commandant, opened indiscriminate fire upon a group of youth at Hajjam Mohalla. Two bullets hit Mudassir in abdomen and chest. In critical condition, he was rushed to SKIMS where he succumbed to his injuries this morning.
“The teenager had suffered multiple injuries in the abdomen. His intestines were ruptured. The doctors operated upon him last night, but he did not survive. He died this morning,” Medical Superintendent of SKIMS, Syed Amin Tabish, was quoted by a local news agency as saying.
Sopore police has registered a case Fir No 413/2010 under section 302 RPC against the CRPF men.
Mudassir’s body was taken in a procession to Chanki Pora, where thousands of people offered his funeral prayer.
Mudassir, who was working with a private telecom, was finally laid to rest at local Martyrs’ graveyard in the evening amid pro-Islam and pro-freedom slogans.
Massive protests rocked New Colony, Arimpora, Batapora, Krala Teng, and Neharpora areas. At Takiabal in Sopore town, CRPF men fired rubber bullets on protestors, injuring Hafizullah Pandit, son of Mohammad Subhan, Kamran Ahmad, son of Imtiyaz Ahmad Dar of Naseer Abad, and Feroz Ahmad Malla, son of Mohammad Ashoor Malla of Chanki Pora.
In wake of the killing in Sopore, authorities had reimposed curfew in Baramulla town.
Police had laid concertina wire on all the three bridges connecting Baramulla with Srinagar. Police and CRPF men were heavily deployed in the area to restrict people from coming out on the roads. However, after offering Friday prayers, hundreds of protestors took to streets and attacked all the three bridges – Cement bridge, SRTC, and Azad bridge - forcing police and CRPF men to retract. The protestors threw the concertina wires in Jhelum river. Police and CRPF men swung into action and clashes erupted between protestors and the men in uniform. The clashes also took place at Main chowk, Tehsil Road, Faroqi point, Fire Service lane, Bus stand and other areas.
People at Bijbehara in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district took to streets early this morning and staged pro-freedom demonstrations.
Police and CRPF cane charged protestors to disperse them. However, the irate protestors retaliated and started pelting stones towards police and CRPF. After failing to quell the protestors, police and CRPF opened fire upon them, injuring Aquib Bashir son of Bashir Ahmad Ganai, who was shot in the shoulder. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.
After the protests intensified, police and CRPF men again fired indiscriminately, killing 27-year-old Nazir Ahmad Wani son of Abdul Rehman Wani of Persha Mohalla in Bijbehara, on spot.
Police also thrashed several protestors, some of them severely, who were later admitted in sub-district hospital Bijbehara.
The announcement of Nazir’s death was made through loudspeakers of the mosques. The announcers asked the people to come out on streets to protest the killing. Thousands of people carried the body of Nazir to Jamia Masjid, where they offered his funeral prayers. Nazir was laid to rest in a nearby graveyard.
Nazir’s killing sparked fierce clashes between police, CRPF and protestors, mainly youth, who attacked police station Bijbehara and tried to torch it by throwing petrol bombs in its compound.
However, police and CRPF men swung into action and fired hundreds of rounds in air to disperse the angry youth.
Meanwhile, curfew was today lifted from Anantnag town as people resumed their work after seven days. However, pro-freedom rallies were carried out from Jamia Masjid Ahlihadith, Rehat-Ded mosque Lal Chowk and Jamia Masjid Hanfia, after Friday prayers. The processionists marched towards the house of Irshad Ahmad Latoo in S K colony, who was killed in CRPF firing on Saturday to express solidarity with his family.
In Mattan town, despite severe restrictions, people marched towards the house of slain youth, Muhammad Abass Dhobi, who succumbed to injuries after being severely thrashed by the CRPF men.
In Shopian town, people took to streets early this morning and organized massive pro-freedom demonstrations. The youth later entered into clashes with police and CRPF men who resorted to teargas shelling and baton charging, injuring several protestors. Police fired rubber bullets to quell the protesters.
Three youth, namely Riyaz Ahmad Malik, Bilal Ahmad Ganai and Tariq Ahmad, who sustained rubber bullet injuries, were referred to Srinagar hospital.
“Two police men of IRP Battalion were also injured after being hit by the rubber bullets fired by their own men on the protesters,” police sources said.
After the Friday prayers a huge procession was taken out from the Jamia Masjid, which marched through the length and breadth of the town. More than 20 persons were injured in police action, including some policemen.
Massive pro-freedom rallies were carried out, after the Friday prayers, in Pulwama, Kakapora, Pampore and Tral townships also.
In Kulgam, thousands of people took to streets after Friday prayers and staged massive pro-freedom demonstration. Curfew was clamped in Qaimoh town of Kulgam. However, massive protests rocked Khudwani, Redwani, Wanpora and Rampura areas.
Massive pro-freedom demonstrations were held on Srinagar-Gulmarg road near Kunzar. Hundreds of people took to streets after Friday prayers, and attacked Kunzar police station. The protestors also pelted stones at 52RR camp. Police resorted to teargas shelling and fired several rounds in air to disperse the protestors. Policemen also caught hold of some protestors and severely thrashed them.
At least 60 protestors were injured in the incident, most of them in the stampede following the firing in air by police.
Protest demonstrations were also held in Singhpora Pattan, Kupwara, Kralpora, Trehgam, Kangan, Beihama in Ganderbal, Hajin, Sonawari, Safapora, Chhon, Budgam, Magam, Beerwa, Sheikhpora, Ompora.
A protest rally, led by senior separatist leader, Aga Syed Hassan Budgami, was carried out in Budgam town today after Friday prayers. The processionists shouted pro-freedom and pro-Islam slogans.
At Nagam Chadoora, police fire teargas shells at protestors, injuring Rashid Ahmad daughter of Mohammad Aslam of Lassipora Chadoora.
Meanwhile, according to police handout, some protestors pelted stones on J&K Bank cash van at Kralpora Budgam.
Thousands of people staged pro-freedom demonstrations in Srinagar today. A group of youth at Rainawari took to streets this morning and shouted anti-Indian and pro-freedom slogans. Police and CRPF men swung into action and fired teargas shells to disperse the protestors, who were pelting stones at them. The clashes continued for an hour.
In Khanyar area of old Srinagar city, at least four people were injured in clashes between protestors and police this afternoon. A group of youth, according to reports, came out on streets after Friday prayers and tried to stage pro-freedom demonstrations. However, police and CRPF men thwarted their attempt, triggering off clashes. CRPF and police lobbed tear smoke shells to disperse the stone pelting youth.
Clashes between protestors and CRPF and police were also reported from Brein, Nishat. Residents alleged that the men in uniform smashed window panes of residential houses in the area.
According to reports, clashes also broke out in Gojwara, Kawdara, Nowhatta, Soura, Anchar and other areas.
A photo journalist, Tawseef Mustafa, was hit by a teargas shell while covering clashes in Nawhatta.
Meanwhile, according to police handout, situation in the valley remained by and large peaceful barring few incidents of stone pelting in Bijbehara, Shopian, Baramulla and Handwara in which one person was killed and twenty policemen were injured including an SHO.
“A huge mob attacked Bhijbehara police station in Anantnag today. The police used tear smoke shells and cane charge to disperse the mob. The mob did not relent. The miscreants tried to set the police station, Court complex and the SDPO office on fire by throwing petrol bombs,” the official handout said. “The policemen inside the police station had to fire some rubber pallets in self defense. Two persons sustained injuries one of whom namely Nazir Ahmed resident of Treash Mohalla, Bijbehara succumbed to his injuries. Some policemen were also injured in the incident.”
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