Curfew remained in force for the fifth running day on Wednesday in most parts of Kashmir as death toll in the ongoing unrest mounted to 36. Another youth from Kulgam district succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday while during evening hours CRPF shot dead a youth at Harnag area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district. Despite relative calm reports about protesters clashing with forces personnel poured from different parts of the Valley.Sources informed that Para military Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) killed a youth in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Wednesday evening. Reports and local sources said that clashes were going on in Hanji Danter-Anantnag road when CRPF opened fire. The bullet hit one youth who was identified as Hilal Ahmad (25), s/o Ali Mohammad Sofi of Hanji Danter Harnag, Anantnag. CMO Anantnag Dr Fazil Kochak confirmed the killing of Hilal Ahmed. He said that the youth was brought dead to district hospital.
More than a dozen protesters suffered pellet injuries after armed forces according to locals went on rampage in Kanikadal Chotabazar area of Srinagar city. A member of Masjid committee Sheikh Abdul Rashid told CNS that police smashed the window panes of three storey building of local Masjid and beat up the people irrespective of their age and sex. “The policemen barged into the house and thrashed people,” he said and claimed that 35 people were injured after police fired pellets on them. Reports said that a large number of youth had staged a protest in the area.Scores of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) activists on Wednesday staged a protest against the ongoing killing spree in Kashmir.The protest was held on the joint call of separatists. The protest rally was held at Chinkral Mohalla and was led by senior JKLF leader Noor Muhammad Kalwal.In Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, a youth whom locals identified as Bilal Ahmad, a resident of Latiwaza Yangoora suffered pellet injury. He was immediately rushed to SMHS hospital. A doctor confirmed that the right side from head to the rib of this youth is hit by pellets.”Clashes broke out at Kondabal and Badampora near Sut kreel,” a local said. The local said forces opened pellet fire at Sut kreel where Bilal was hit.
Stone-pleting incidents were reported in Jamia market Sopore where separatist leaders also took out a procession and offered tributes to 13 July 1931 martyrs. Clashes also broke out in Bandipora and Kupwara where youth resorted to heavy stone-pelting.At least two youth whom locals identified as Muhammad Amir and Abu Mohzib received pellet injuries in face including eyes at Palhalan Pattan. A doctor at Sub District Hospital Pattan told CNS that both the youth were shifted to SMHS hospital as they had suffered grievous pellet injuries. Reports said that from last two day’s all but 24 youth have been wounded in pellet firing.A youth from Hawoora Kulgam succumbed to his injuries at SKIMS Srinagar on Wednesday morning. Hospital authorities identified the slain youth as Mushtaq Ahmed Dar son of Abdul Ahad a resident of Hawoora Mishpora Koimouh Kulgam. The youth according to sources was critically injured at Wonpou when armed forces opened fire on protesters critically injuring Mushtaq Ahmed and another youth Wakil Ahmed Pala. Pala is still critical in SKIMS. Witnesses told CNS that thousands of mourners assembled in the native village of the slain youth while the family alleged that the ambulance carrying the dead body of Mushtaq was seized by police for hours together, a charge denied by a police official.
Reports said that in Kujjar hamlet of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, angry protesters set ablaze the house of former Ikhwani turned SOG man Gowhar Tantry’s alias Gow Ikhwain. Reports said people of the area were angry with Gow Ikhwani who allegedly was responsible for beating and harassing youth and elderly people, damaging public property, and misbehaving with women of the area.Kokarnag area witnessed intense clashes between armed forces and youth. Locals alleged paramilitary CRPF men went berserk at Kokernag and beat up the inmates and ransacked the houses. A press release issued by Police Media Centre said that the situation in the Valley remained under control today though some incidents of stone pelting were reported.“The stray and intermittent incidents of stone pelting were reported from Khudwani, Kulgam, Putkha Sopore, Main Chowk Sopore, Iman Sahib, Shopian, Kakpora, Kralpora, Kupwara, Trehgam, Langate and Lalpora.Early today, militants fired upon the vehicle of SDPO Zainapora near Malik Gund, Imam Sahib Shopian when he was on way to Imam Sahib alongwith law and order deployment. There was no loss of life/injuries in this incident.” (CNS)