Kashmir shuts to mourn the deaths of 7 innocent civilians

No let up in anti-Israel protests, clashes at many places

5 Dariya News (Rouf Pampori,Yawar Shafi )

Srinagar 17-Jul-2014

Amid anti-Israel protests, Kashmir mourn the death of seven innocent civilians killed in a road accident allegedly due to rash driving of Army by observing shutdown on Thursday. The call for the shutdown was given by Hurriyat hawk Syed Ali Geelani and was supported by Hurriyat Conference JK chairman Shabir Ahmed Shah and others.Reports said that a complete shutdown was observed by people all across Kashmir. In North Kashmir, strict security arrangements had been made to thwart any kind of protests. Clashes erupted at number of places including Srinagar city, Anantnag and Palahan area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district. Eyewitnesses told CNS that all the shops in city centre Lal Chowk and at other places remained closed while public transport was off the roads. However, private vehicles were seen plying smoothly on the roads while most of the shops were open in the outskirts of Srinagar city including Jawahar Nagar, Raj Bagh, Sonawar, Dalgate and Rambagh.Police sources said that some youth tried to disrupt peace at various places in Srinagar city by resorting to stone-pelting at Saraf Kadal, Kaksarai, Daresh Kadal, Nowhatta, Court Road and Hari Singh High Street. “Amid anit-Israel slogans some youth pelted stones on police and Para-military troopers in these areas, however, police exercised maximum restraint and did not use any force,” a police official told CNS.

Sources said that during the stone-pelting incident at Kaksarai, police arrested a boy working at a tea stall there. He was identified as Muhammad Omar son of Habibullah resident of Tangmarag Baramulla.Khawteen Tehreek Kashmir tried to take out a march in Srinagar, however police foiled their march and arrested its chairperson Zamrooda Habib along with her two other colleagues. Zamrooda soon before her arrest told reporters that this march was organized to impress upon the authorities to release all the Kashmir youth who have been languishing in different jails of State and across India.Reports said that hostel boarders in Kashmir University staged a massive protest against Israel on Thursday. Eyewitnesses told CNS that despite shutdown, scores of University students from Mehboob-ul-Alam, Kashmiri Scholars and Maulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri hostels assembled in the premises of Varsity and staged a protest demonstration against jewish country Israel.Kashmir Bar Association showed their solidarity and sympathy with the members of the bereaved families and abstained from appearing before the High Court as well as Sadder Court Srinagar.In South Kashmir, amid shutdown stray stone-pelting incidents were reported from Anantang. Reports said that people staged an anti-Israel protest during which some of the youth pelted stones on the police. The protestors reportedly torched Israeli flags and fought pitched battles with government forces at Cheeni Chowk, Malakhnag, Dangerpora, Mattan and Kadipora, and other areas. Some scribes alleged that police barred them from filming the protests, an allegation denied by police.

Massive anti-Israel protests were reported from South Kashmir’s Tral town. A rally was organized by common people which marched through different lanes and bye-lanes of the town. The protestors denounced the Israeli onslaught on Gaza and appealed to International Community to force Israel to stop attacking innocent civilians. Renowned cleric of Shah Hamdan Daral Uloon Tral, Molvi Abdul Gani Nayemi addressed the people and urged upon them to boycott Israeli products. Life was also affected in Shopian, Pulwama, Pampore,Kakapora, Bijbehara, Awantipora and other parts of South Kashmir.Life was also affected in Central Kashmir due to shutdown call forwarded by Syed Ali Geelani. In North Kashmir, one youth was injured during clashes between protestors and youth in Palhalan area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district. Sources told CNS that after intense clashes between the protestors and police, the government forces arrested two youth while another youth was reportedly hit by a tear-smoke shell and was shifted to nearby hospital. Police identified him as Masrat Tantray of Raipora Pattan.A police official confirmed that one youth was arrested during the clashes. He identied the arrested youth as Tawseef Ahmed Malla.Amid anti-Israel protests, clashes also erupted near Khanpora Bridge in Baramulla town where large number of police and Para-military forces had been deployed to thwart any kind of protests. At least four persons were injured during clashes with government forces at Papchen Bandipora. Two among four youth Adil Farooq and Muntazir Khan were shifted to Srinagar hospital. (CNS)