Authorities foil Sumbal Chalo Restrictions, Shutdown, Clashes In Bandipora; Scores Injured, Dozens Detained MIR TARIQ /SHABIR IBN YUSUF SmallerDefaultLarger Bandipora/Srinagar, July 3: Authorities on Wednesday foiled the Sumbal Chalo call given by the Hurriyat (G) chairman, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, by imposing restrictions in several parts of Bandipora and Ganderbal districts. Around 10 people were injured in clashes in both the districts while as police detained a dozen people in Bandipora district. The top rung separatist leaders were placed under house arrest. Shutdown was also observed in Pulwama district of south Kashmir, while partial strike was reported from Baramulla and Sopore towns also. Early Wednesday morning, restrictions were imposed in Sumbal, Hajin and Naidkhai areas of district Bandipora. Later curfew was imposed in Naidkhai when people tried to march towards Markundal village, where two youth Irfan Ahmad Ganaie and Tariq Ahmad Laharwal were killed in Army firing on Sunday. Clashes erupted in Bandipora and Hajin towns in the afternoon which continued till removal of deployment. Hundreds of police and paramilitary CRPF men were deployed in Markundal, Hajin, Sumbal and Naidkhai towns and people were not allowed to come out of their homes. “We were not allowed to move out of our homes since morning,” the residents of these areas told Greater Kashmir. Reports said that scores of people assembled in Naidkhai area of Sumbal Wednesday morning and staged massive pro-freedom demonstrations. When they tried to march towards Markundal village, police and CRPF personnel intercepted them. The forces burst tear smoke shells and cane charged the protesting people. The protestors were demanding punishment for the guilty. The protesters pelted stones on forces triggering clashes that continued throughout the day. Two youths and two paramilitary personnel received minor injuries during the clashes. Heavy contingents of CRPF and police arrived in the area and imposed curfew, reports added. Reports said that in Hajin area, the forces intercepted another protest rally. The protestors pelted stones on CRPF and police and during clashes one CRPF personnel and two youth sustained minor injuries, reports said adding that the police used force to quell the demonstrators. A report said that forces fired in air to disperse the protestors. Reports said that in main Bandipora town, the situation was normal till Wednesday afternoon. In the afternoon, reports said that the youth took to streets and engaged police and CRPF in ding-dog battles. The pitched battles between protesters and CRPF troopers were going on till this report was filed. The clashes were going on in Main Chowk and Nowpora areas of the town. A report said that angry youth late Tuesday evening hurled stones on officers’ residential quarters in Bandipora town and damaged the windowpanes. Police have also detained around 10 youth in Bandipora and four youth in Hajin. Many separatist leaders including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Dukhtaran-e-Millat Chairman Asyia Andrabi and Nayeem Khan addressed the people in Markundal village over telephone. GANDERBAL Amid deployment of forces complete shutdown was observed in Ganderbal town. Traffic on Wayil-Sumbal and Ganderbal-Safapora roads remained almost suspended. The police have imposed restriction on these roads till noon to prevent the people from marching towards the residence of Tariq Ahmad Laharwal at New Colony Koundbal, Manasbal in Lar Tehsil of Ganderbal. Police burst tear smoke shells at Koundbal and Kurhama to disburse the protesters. Situation remained tense at Koundbal, Manasbal, Baroosa and Kurhama areas as the youth engaged forces and fought ding-dong battle at these places. Two civilians and a cop were reportedly injured in the clashes at Kurhama. A bus travelling from Wayil to Sumbal was caught by the violent protesters at Baroosa Chowk and massive damage was caused to it allegedly by some stone pelting youth. Police had a tough time while pushing the protesters back. Panic gripped Palhallan area in Baramulla when police used dozens of tear gas shells to disperse protestors who were protesting against the killing of two youth in Sumbal on Sunday. Although there was no curfew in Pattan area however people observed spontaneous shutdown to mourn the death of the youth. A spontaneous shutdown was also observed in Sopore tehsil of Baramulla district. A report said that groups of youth pelted stones on the forces in Sopore town Wednesday morning. Reports of partial shutdown were also received from Baramulla town of north Kashmir. Mild stone pelting was reported in morning in the town. SHUTDOWN IN PULWAMA: Meanwhile, a complete shutdown was observed in Pulwama, Pampore, Samboora, Tral, Kakapora, Awantipora for the consecutive second day against the killing of three militants in Mandoora, Tral. Agitated youth smashed the windowpanes of dozens of vehicles which were plying at different routes of Pulwama, reports said. SEPRATISTS UNDER HOUSE ARREST: The authorities on Wednesday put Chairmen of both the factions of Hurriyat, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik, National Front Chairman Nayeem Khan, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Zaffar Akbar Bhat, Javid Ahmad Mir and Saleem Geelani under house arrest to stop them from marching towards Markundal village where two youth were killed in Army firing on Sunday. WITH SHEIK NAZIR IN GANDEBAL
Posted on: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 02:48:04 +0000
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