Life remained adversely affected for the 106th consecutive day in the Valley due to separatist called protest shutdown. Police said that there were no curbs and curfew imposed in any part of the Valley, though heavy contingent of security personnel were deployed in restive areas to maintain law and order.Shops, business establishments, schools and colleges remained shut though private vehicles were seen plying in some parts of Srinagar city.Clashes broke out in Maisuma for the first time during the current uprising when protesters demanded medical aid for incarcerated Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chief Yasin Malik who has been detained in Central Jail Srinagar. Dozens of women and men staged a protest in Maisuma locality of Srinagar to demand medical aid to the ailing leader. Witnesses said that police chased away the protesters and detained some to break up the protesters.Clashes between the government forces and protesters erupted in a Shopian village in south Kashmir on Saturday.
Reports reaching here said that clashes erupted in Heff Shirmal area of the district soon after forces completed door to door searches.Local sources said that army, CRPF and police personnel early today cordoned off Heff Shirmal village and conducted searches.As the forces started leaving the village, people came on streets and raised slogans against what they called harassing people.Forces immediately swung into action and tried to disperse the protesters however they pelted stones on them.Forces fired tear smoke shells and when protests intensified they fired in air creating panic in the area.At least 15 persons including a 12 years old boy was injured after government forces resorted to tear-smoke and pellet shelling in Palhalan Pattan area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
Eyewitnesses told news agency CNS that shortly after the culmination of pro-freedom rally government forces reached on spot and in a bid to disperse the people fired pellets and tear-smoke shells. Witnesses added that 15 people suffered pellet injuries who were taken to Sub-District Hospital Pattan. Six of the injured including a 12 year old boy were referred to SMHS Hospital Srinagar.Stone-pelting incidents were also reported from Sadarkoot and Mirgund areas of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district. A PDP minister was stranded for half an hour after protesters attacked his cavalcade with stones in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district. Police sources and local reports said that protesters hurled rocks at the cavalcade of Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Abdul Haq Khan at Saderkoot Bala while he was on way to Srinagar after convening an official meeting.They said that police and paramilitary forces fired dozens of teargas shells to disperse the protesters. With the help of army, the minister could finally move ahead, they said.A police official said that barring few stray incidents of stone-pelting the situation remained peaceful. (CNS)