Capital city Srinagar erupted yet again on Thursday as the youth clashed with armed forces in different areas while a large number of women folk took out a procession condemning nocturnal police raids and subsequent detention of youth.Reports said that authorities had imposed restrictions in Old Srinagar City to maintain law and order while no such curbs were put in police in Civil Lines areas of the city. However, defying restrictions a large number of youth from different areas of the city took out processions at Bohrikadal, Barbar Shah and other areas. The procession according to eyewitness was stopped by police near Khanyar resulting in violent clashes. Witnesses told CNS that youth resorted to massive stone-pelting while armed forces retaliated with tear-smoke shells. “These clashes were intense and violent. We were trapped in the area for couple of hours. The area filled with tear-smoke giving tough time to common people,” an eyewitness said about Khanyar area.
Clashes also broke out in Bohrikadal area of Srinagar city where a large number of youth hit to roads and amid pro-freedom slogans pelted stones on the police and Para-military troopers.Residents from Batamaloo said that the area was peaceful till a police party from Batamaloo police station barged into a Masjid adjacent to Batamaloo Sahb Shrine and damaged public address system. “The police action infuriated the locals who took to roads and clashed with the police. The stone-pelting and tear-gas shelling was going on in the area,” said a local adding that few people suffered injuries during the clashes.Reports said that armed forces fired teargas shells to disperse protestors at Khatidarwaza in old city here.The clashes erupted between youth and forces when the former blocked main road and were staging protest against the recent civilian killings in the Valley.
Police swung into action and fired teargas shells to disperse the protestors. Later, youth resorted to stone pelting which resulted in brief clashes. “The police chased youth. Two local youth including a minor who were outside their residence were taken away by the police,” said eyewitnesses.
Female folk from Mughal Mohalla and other areas of Chattabal Srinagar took out a procession against what they called atrocities committed by police in the area. They alleged that during nocturnal raids police not only harassed and thrashed them but also dragged the youth from the houses and lodged into police stations.
The residents of Rampora Chattabal alleged during nocturnal raids armed forces went on a rampage. “Scores of men in uniform in a dozen police gypsies raided the area ransacked houses and detained the youth. They have been lodged in police station Qamarwari where we were not allowed to meet them,” said a local.A police official denied the reports that any innocent was touched in the area. “We detained some of the wanted stone-peltes while other fled from the area,” he said.Reports from Tral town of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district said that at least three protesters suffered pellet injuries while three youth were apprehended by police during clashes at Hardamir village.In Sangam area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district agitated youth attacked police post with stones. When CRPF chased them, a youth whom police identified as Shahzad Ahmed Dar son of Ghulam Mohiuddin a resident of Naina Sangam jumped into the river Jehlum. A police official said that the youth was rescued by police due to injury to his leg he was shifted to SKIMS Srinagar.
South Kashmir’s Anantnag, Pulwama and Kulgam reeled under curfew while restrictions were in place in Shopian district. Restrictions were also in place Sopore and Kupwara town.In Sopore a community hall was set on fire by miscreants during the dead of the Wednesday night. A police official on condition of anonymity said that stone-pelting incidents on Thursday were witnessed from scores of areas across Kashmir including Haba Kadal, Nowhata, Rainawari, Safakadal, Sarafkadal, Rajouri Kadal, Nawakadal, Batamaloo, Kulgam Chursu, Padgampora, Shopian, Pulwama, Sopore and Sangam Anantnag.CRPF according to locals went on rampage in Tahab Pulwama after youths staged a pro-freedom protest and damaged windowpanes of scores of residential house. The CRPF action sparked massive protest while locals hit to roads and resorted to massive stone-pelting. 51 people including two policemen have lost their lives since July 9 in the ongoing protests that erupted after the killing of Hizb commander Burhan Wani in Bimbdora hamlet of Kokernag area. Meanwhile, a police handout said that the situation throughout the Kashmir valley remained peaceful and under control today. There was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the valley. Except Anantnag town, there were no restrictions anywhere in the Kashmir valley. Minor instances of stone pelting were reported from some places. (CNS)