Some parts of Kashmir on Friday witnessed protests and clashes. The joint resistance leadership had called for peaceful protests on Friday against the killing of a minor girl Kaneeza near the site of a gunbattle in Hyhama village of district Kupwara.Reports said that a protest was held after the congregational Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid Srinagar in which besides a large number of people Hurriyat leaders G.N.Zaki, Sufi Mushtaq Ahmad and Farooq Ahmad Saudagar participated. The protestors strongly condemned the killing and termed it extremely cruel and inhuman.A peaceful protest was held in Maisuma Srinagar. Hundreds of people shortly after Friday Congregational prayers hit to roads carrying placards and banners seeking election boycott, raised pro-freedom slogans.Witnesses told CNS that the protesters distributed anti-election pamphlets among people. The protesters while denouncing the civilian killings appealed people to boycott coming elections completely. The protest rally was led by Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front leaders including Noor Muhammad Kalwal, Sheikh Abdul Rashid, Yasin Bhat, Siraj Ahmed Mir, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat activists including Syed Imtiyaz Hyder, Ghazi Javaid Baba, Umar Adil Dar, and others. The protest culminated peacefully.
Authorites placed Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and his media advisor Advocate Shahid-ul-Islam under house arrest to prevent them from taking part in a programme announced by the joint resistance leadership. A spokesman said that both the Mirwaiz and Islam were placed under detention at their houses.
Clashes between Government forces and youth were reported from Rajourikadal, Kadikadal and Nowhatta area of Srinagar city. Clashes were also reported from Humhama where police arrested many youths on charges of stone-pelting.Massive clashes were reported from Pazalpora Bijbehara after an Army vehicle hit a private Maruti car. Shortly after the accident, a large number of people assembled on the road and raised anti-Army slogans. Witnesses said that Army vehicle managed to escape from the spot, however, agitated protesters blocked vehicular movement, prompting police to intervene. “The Government Forces fired tear-smoke shells on the protesters while a shell fell into the premises of Government High School Pazalpora. The students faced lot of inconvenience due to clouds of smoke emanating from tear-gas shells,” said an eyewitness.Clashes erupted in Sopore town of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district after government forces prevented youth from holding protests.Witnesses said that youth took to streets after congregational prayers and tried to stage a march against the killing of a girl in Kupwara. However, police and paramilitary personnel deployed in the area prevented them from staging the march, triggering clashes. While the youth hurled rocks, the forces responded by bursting teargas shells.Clashes were also reported from Papchen area of Bandipora district. A police official said that barring few stray incidents of stone-pelting, situation across Kashmir remained peaceful. (CNS)