Separatists called protest shutdown paralysed life for 103rd consecutive day in Kashmir Valley, however, authorities on Wednesday did not impose any curfew or restrictions anywhere."No curfew or restrictions have been imposed anywhere today (Wednesday)," a senior police official said here."Adequate deployment of forces had been made to maintain law and order across the valley." Main markets, public transport and other businesses remain closed in the valley for 103rd consecutive day.A private vehicle was gutted in a mysterious fire in Sadrabal area of Srinagar city. Reports said that a Scorpio, bearing registration number JK01W 36, was parked outside a local workshop when it went up in flames.“The vehicle was parked on a roadside. Suddenly it caught fire. Nobody was onboard when the incident happened,” said an eye-witness. The cause of the fire was not immediately known.Government Forces foiled Soibugh freedom march for which people had made all the arrangements.
Witnesses sadi that all roads leading to Soibugh village in central Kashmir’s Budgam district were sealed by the government forces to prevent a pro-freedom march called by the resistance leadersip on Wednesday morning.Reports and witnesses said that all the entry points to the village had been sealed with army manning the barricades. According to eyewitnesses despite the restriction people in large numbers assembled in the main chowk to participate in the pro-freedom rally. The rally was addressed by a number of speakers who urged upon people to follow protest calendar in letter and spirit. They appealed people to show loyalty and steadfastness towards the ongoing freedom struggle.Clashes erupted there after government forces resorted to aerial firing to put a stop to the pro-freedom rally.Reports and witnesses said that the rally attended by over a thousand people was nearing its end when forces raided the area.“They fired in air and used teargas shells to thwart the rally,” said a witness. “This triggered clashes.” Reports said that youth responded with stones while the clashes left many people injured.
People of Warpora area of North Kashmir’s Sopore town on Wednesday said that men in uniform on Tuesday night raided the village of and resorted to ransacking. The locals said that the forces came around 1:30 AM and ransacked private property before arresting an 18-year-old youth. The detained youth was identified as Masraf Majeed. He was arrested from his bed.“Soon after the raid, people came out from their houses protesting against the raids and highhandedness of forces,” local said. “Forces fired tear smoke shells indiscriminately.” The locals said one tear gas shell landed inside home of a lady who had given birth to a baby a few days ago. A police official feigned ignorance about the incident.Agitated protesters smashed windowpanes of scores of private vehicles at Hajin Sonawari area of Bandipora district when government forces arrested a butcher whom locals identified as Ghulam Ahmed Dar. “Earlier Batagund village was cordoned off by the forces and later on they picked up Dar from Gulshan Abad area.The detention of butcher sparked violent protest while agitated youth resorted to massive stone-pelting damaging window-panes of scores of private vehicles,” said an eyewitness.In an apparent reaction to “those defying shutdown call”, a passenger vehicle was set ablaze in North Kashmir. Reports said that unidentified persons torched the Scorpio vehicle, bearing registration number – JK05:1031 in Delina area of Baramulla district.
Reports from South Kashmir’s Pulwama district said that government forces in a bid to foil Pulwama to Newa freedom march cordoned off the whole Newa area while agitated youth pelted stones on them resulting in the clashes. Locals told news agency CNS that CRPF and Police showered tear-smoke shells and pellets on the protesters resulting in the injuries of 4 persons. One of the youth suffered pellet injuries in the eyes and he was shifted to Pulwama hospital.Massive protests were staged in Arihal area of Pulwama district on Wednesday. Locals alleged during a night raid in the area, government forces damaged houses and other properties while to counter the action of the forces people took to roads in the middle of the night and chanted pro-freedom slogans. Forces used tear-gas canisters to disperse the protesters. Reports said that during morning hours, a large number of people again hit to roads and organized a massive anti-India protest. Forces rushed to the village and used pellets and tear-smoke shells to disperse the protesters. Witnesses and reports said that 7 people were injured in the clashes.Over 90 people, majority of them youths, have been killed and over 14,000 injured in the ongoing unrest in Kashmir since July 9, a day after the killing of top militant Burhan Wani in a clash with security forces. (CNS)