Authorities on Saturday foiled ‘Referendum March’ to Lal Chowk that was called by joint resistance leadership here by imposing strict curfew in Srinagar and other major towns of Kashmir Valley. While as another youth succumbs, the clashes and protests continued in several parts of Valley during which a senior cop among scores were injured.In wake of the March call to Lal Chowk, the police and paramilitary forces had sealed all the roads leading to the city centre with razor wires and erected barricades. The forces strictly imposed the curfew and no one except media persons was allowed to proceed towards Lal Chowk. The curfew was also imposed in Old City, Maisuma, Dalgate, Batamoloo and Kralkhud areas.An injured youth, Suhail Ahmad Wani, who was injured on August 3 in police firing at Lethpora Pampore, passed away during the intervening night. The slain was injured when PSO of Additional Deputy Commissioner of Ramban opened fire at Lethpora during protests. The firing incident at Lethpora had already left one dead on August 3.In view of the call, the chairmen of both the factions of Hurriyat Conference, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, came out of their houses and defied restrictions. However, both the leaders were taken into custody by police outside their houses at Hyderpora and Nigeen respectively and detained.
The authorities also continued strict imposition of curfew in Pampore, Pulwama, Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Bijbehara townships of south Kashmir. Reports said that curfew was also continued in north Kashmir townships including Sopore, Kupwara and Baramulla.Meanwhile, nearly two dozen persons including 13 cops, two of them seriously, were wounded in violent clashes at Ashtangoo village of Bandipora in north Kashmir. Reports said that protesters clashed with police and CRPF in the village during which forces used teargas, pellets and pepper gas. The clashes left 13 cops including SHO Bandipora Syed Gazanfar injured. Two cops who were injured seriously have been shifted to 92 Base Hospital of Army here.
The clashes also erupted in several areas of Old City here after curfew was lifted this evening. In day time, the stone-throwing clashes erupted at Memandar area of Shopian. A pro-freedom procession was taken out from Papchan area of Bandipora in this late afternoon.Reports from Doda district of Jammu said that a teenage boy namely Rehmatullah (18) has been booked under Public Safety Act for his alleged involvement in protests against Kashmir killings yesterday.
The protests at Doda left dozens of persons injured on Friday amid shutdown. The teenager has been jailed at Kot balwal.A police spokesman while giving his version of Saturday’s situation said: “The situation remained by and large peaceful throughout Kashmir valley although six incidents of stone pelting were reported from Bandipora, Baramulla and Srinagar. Restrictions under section 144/CrPC remained in force in the Valley, however, curfew was imposed in Srinagar and Anantnag town only.”He said: “At Ashtingoo Bandipora miscreants about 200 in number disrupted the traffic movement and pelted stones on police and security forces. While dealing with the miscreants, two police personnel were seriously injured who were referred to Srinagar. One of them was later on shifted for advance treatment to Delhi. In Kanoosa, Aloosa and Kemah, Bandipora, miscreants pelted stones on the security force deployments. Later on they were chased away.”“At Palhallan, Pattan miscreants created disturbances on road and pelted stones on security force deployments. They were chased away by using mild force. At Zampa Kadal, Srinagar miscreants pelted stones on security force deployments. They were also chased away,” the police spokesman added.(GNS)