Thousands of people on Thursday attended the funeral prayers of a 20-year-old youth at Trehgam in north Kashmir's Kupwara district.The youth Khalid Gafar, 20, son of Abdul Gafar Malik, was killed while another person suffered injuries after army allegedly opened fire upon a group of protesters at Trehgam village on Tuesday evening.Reports reaching GNS said that thousands of people assembled at Trehgam and participated in the funeral prayers.The slain was laid to rest amid pro-freedom and anti-government sloganeering in a local martyrs’ graveyard, they said.Soon after the burial, people mostly youth took to streets and pelted stones on a joint team of police and paramilitary CRPF deployed in the area, they said.The forces used tear smoke shells and pellets to disperse the protesters resulting in injuries to three youths so far in the ongoing protests, they said.The local residents of the area alleged that the forces damaged windowpanes of several residential houses in Trehgam.Meanwhile, the protests in Trehgam and its adjoining areas were going on when this report was filed.
Besides curbs in Trehgam, authorities have imposed strict restrictions in Kupwara town and its adjoining areas.An official of the district administration confirmed the imposition of restrictions in parts of Kupwara. He said the curbs were imposed as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.Meanwhile, a complete spontaneous shutdown was observed in Kupwara district. Reports said that all the shops and business establishments were closed while the public transport was off the roads.The internet services were also snapped since Wednesday night in parts of north Kashmir including Kupwara, Handwara and Sopore.The district administration had ordered closure of all educational institutions including schools and colleges in Kupwara district for Thursday.Deputy Commissioner Kupwara, Khalid Jehangir had said that all schools and colleges across Kupwara district shall remain closed except in Machil, Tanghdar and Keran areas for Thursday.The decision was taken as a precautionary measure to avoid law and order situation in the Valley, he had said. (GNS)