Though the curfew, restrictions and shutdown continued for the 58th consecutive day on Sunday in Kashmir, over a hundred civilians sustained injuries during the clashes between youth and forces in Valley while Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) office was set ablaze by the irate youth in South Kashmir’s Shopian district. A top police official told KNS that the curfew and restrictions were imposed today to thwart any possible protests against the civilian killings in Kashmir. Meanwhile, reports of clashes and protests were reported in several parts of Kashmir throughout the day during which scores of people sustained injuries. Clashes erupted between youth and forces in Gadood Bagh area of Habba Kadal during which forces used tear gas canisters to disperse the youth. Locals alleged that forces ransacked the windowpanes of the residential houses here as well.
Local sources told KNS that two civilians were also arrested by the police.
According to KNS correspondent, the residents of three areas of Pantha Chowk jointly offered Zuhar (afternoon) prayers on roads to mark a protest against the civilian killings in Kashmir.The people of three residential areas took to streets and assembled on roads and offered prayers jointly.
They also raised anti-India and pro-freedom slogans.The reports of clashes and protests were reported from several Srinagar areas as well afterwhich forces resorted to tear gas canisters to disperse the protesters.At least six persons including a 6 year old boy and two women were injured after forces fired tear smoke shells to foil the congregation in Dana Mazar area of Safa Kadal.Sources said that the forces fired several tear gas canisters to foil the congregation at Al-noor Masjid in Dana Mazar that was organized by Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH).Six people were injured during the forces action who were shifted to SMHS hospital for treatment.
The injured persons were identified as senior TeH leader, Gazi Baba, Gulzar Ahmad Najar, Fayaz Ahmad Bhat and Aman Shabir, 6 year old boy.
Sources said that earlier, Hurriyat (G) leader, Syed Ali Geelani was addressing the gathering telephonically during which forces came and resorted to tear gas canisters to foil the congregation.Meanwhile, intense clashes erupted between youth and forces in nearby Aripanthan village in central Kashmir Budgam district.Local sources said that hundreds of people assembled in the area, where four civilians were killed a few days back.Forces resorted to tear smoke shells and pellets to disperse the youth who were throwing stone son them during which scores of civilians were injured.
“Two of the injured persons were shifted to Srinagar,” reports quoting sources said.Besides, clashes and protests, a complete shutdown was observed across central Kashmir against the civilian killings in Kashmir.Meanwhile, according to KNS correspondent, clashes erupted between youth and forces in Beerwah and Aripanthan villages of Budgam while the rest of the district observed complete shutdown.
Witnesses said that at least two persons sustained pellet injures at Aripanthan while as two people were thrashed by forces in Beerwah who were later shifted to PHC Gondipora for treatment.They said that forces resorted to heavy tear gas shelling while locals alleged that forces smashed windowpanes of several residential houses on Saturday evening. Locals added that at least eight electric transformers were also damaged by forces from past two months while three among them were damaged on Saturday.At least two Photo-Journalists were injured after forces fired pellets on a procession in old Srinagar.The photo-journalists who sustained injuries were identified as Zuhaib Maqbool Hamzah and Muzamil Rashid.Sources said that hundreds of people offered Namaz-e-Asr in open in Nadiyar area of Rainawari this evening.The Namaz was offered in the ground of DAV School.“The people then took out a pro-freedom procession which came under pellets and tear gas shells fired by forces,” he said. “Two of the Photo-Journalists who were covering the rally were hit by pellets.”
The duo Journalists were immediately rushed to SMHS hospital by their colleagues.Similarly, a complete shutdown was observed in South Kashmir districts while reports of clashes and protests were reported in several areas throughout the day.Sources said that the protestors attacked the house of Tral legislator Mushtaq Ahmad Shah with stones.Sources said that people from different villages of Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district defied the curfew to move towards Eidgah in the town.However, the forces deployed in strength didn’t allow them to move ahead and fired several tear-gas canisters to disperse them, triggering clashes.Amid the clashes, youths hurled stones at the house of Peoples Democratic Party MLA Tral Mushtaq Ahmed Shah, located in Tral-e-Bala locality.Meanwhile, clashes erupted in Pulwama’s Tral town after forces stopped people from holding a pro-freedom rally.“Hundreds of men and women are stuck in historic Khanqah Tral,” reports quoting an elderly man said.“Forces have closed all roads leading out from the Khanqah,” he said, “it is too much suffocating atmosphere here as forces are continuously firing tear gas shells inside the premises.”
Sources said that armed men chased the protestors who took refuge inside the Khanqah. “Forces have damaged parts of the Khanqah as well,” the elderly man said.He said that many youths have been injured in forces action “but forces are not allowing ambulances to come towards the Khanqah”.Meanwhile, clashes also erupted between youth and forces in Vessu village of South Kashmir’s Qazigund town.A 20 year old youth was killed by forces on Saturday late evening during clashes.Sources said that hundreds of people offered Nimaz-e-Jinazah to the slain youth, identified as Basit Ahmad Ahanger.Meanwhile, clashes are going on between forces and protestors on Srinagar-Jammu highway.“They are not letting people to come over highway,” local sources said, “but people are showing defiance as they want to take out a protest rally.”Reports said that a pro-freedom rally was organized in Fatehpora area of Islamabad district.
They said that forces had raided the venue early today and resorted to tear gas shelling due to which a dozen of civilians were injured.
One among the injured was hit by bullet and was shifted to Islamabad district hospital but he is safe and stable, reports said.In adjacent Shopian district, eye witnesses said that thousands of people assembled in a big ground in Pinjoora village and participated in the pro-freedom event.Thousands of people attended the event during which pro-freedom and anti-India slogans were raised.Reports said that forces had raided the venue at around 5 AM today to disperse off the people but ‘they didn’t succeed’.Clashes had erupted in main town Shopian but curfew was immediately imposed in the area while angry protestors set ablaze front block of Mini Secretariat Shopian which houses District Commissioner’s office.Locals said that after forces blocked at least two roads leading to Pinjoora, angry protestors marched to Mini Secretariat Shopian. “It was set ablaze and the first block which houses the office of Deputy Commissioner is destroyed,” reports said.
They said that fire fighters rushed to the spot.The Mini Secretariat was constructed at a whopping cost of Rs 36 Crore and was inaugurated in 2015.
Earlier, reports said that at least 70 civilians were injured in Pinjoora during clashes between forces and protestors.Seven of the injured civilians have been shifted to Srinagar for specialized treatment. All of them have been hit by pellets,” reports said.Meanwhile, in at least eight civilians were arrested after forces raided the scheduled pro-freedom rally venue in Drubgam village of Pulwama.Following the arrest and raid, clashes erupted in the area during which scores of people were injured.“Later the forces went berserk in the village and broke window panes and smashed the household items of the villagers,” reports said.Similarly, a complete shutdown was observed in north Kashmir districts while protests and clashes were reported as well.Thousands of people attended a pro-freedom rally in Kunan village of North Kashmir’s Kupwara district.Reports quoting local sources said that the rally commenced at around 11 AM and continued up to 2 PM.
They said that people from Trehgam, Kupwara, Poshpora and other adjacent areas marched towards the venue and participated in the rally.“People from Kunan had formally extended invitation to adjacent villages a few days ago for today’s rally,” a local said.Reports said that a large number of people were coming from Kupwara but they were stopped by forces.Meanwhile, a mass rally was organized in a village in Kreeri belt of North Kashmir in which thousands of people participated.Reports quoting local eye witnesses said that several roads leading to Nowpora-Jageer in Kreeri belt have been blocked by people with wires, huge logs and electricity poles.“I am seeing such a situation first time in any North Kashmir village,” an eye witness said.The local sources said that at least 20 forces vehicles carrying police and CRPF men raided the village after 7 PM yesterday.“It was a raid to arrest youths,” locals said, “but, people got alerted, and announcements were made through Masjid loud speakers and people were asked to come out on roads.”They said that after forces reached the village, clashes erupted, and a few civilians were injured but no arrests were made “because of the resistance of people”.
“We set up blockades at all entry points to village,” a local said, “and teams were formed which patrolled the village for whole night.”Meanwhile, Clashes erupted in Papchan area of Bandipora with youth and forces fighting pitched battles for hours together.Reports and witnesses said that youth hurled stones at forces who responded with teargas shelling.The youth were raising pro-freedom and anti-India slogans.According to a statement issued by the Zonal Police Headquarters Kashmir, ten incidents of stone pelting were reported from Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, Awantipora and Sopore. At these places, mobs assembled on the roads and attempted to disturb the normal traffic and movement of people by pelting stones on vehicles and later on at police & security force deployments.There was no curfew in the valley except some areas of Srinagar falling under the Police Stations of Khanyar, Safakadal, Nowhatta, Rainawari and M. R Gunj, the statement said.In Shopian, a mob attacked and set ablaze mini secretariat Shopian. The fire was brought under control, however, the structure suffered partial damage. The statement said.
In Tral a huge mob pelted stones on the police and security forces. Some of the miscreants when chased away entered in a Ziyarat and again started pelting stones from the compound of the Ziyarat. Police is cautiously handling the situation, the statement said. (KNS)