Day 3: Curfew, clashes keep Kashmir on edge. Day 3: Curfew, clashes keep Kashmir on edge • Injury count mounts as protesters defy restrictions • Highhandedness of forces reported from many areas • Separatists remain caged Asem Mohiuddin Srinagar, July 20: Curfew remained in force for the second day Saturday in all major towns of Kashmir to prevent protests against BSF firing in Ramban district that left four persons dead and over 40 others injured. Meanwhile, hundreds of people in Humhama area of Srinagar and Bandipora district of north Kashmir Saturday staged protest demonstrations against the alleged highhandedness of police and paramilitary forces. A youth was critically injured in Bandipora after being allegedly beaten by army men. Eyewitnesses said people- including men, women and children- took to streets in Humhama area after some paramilitary personnel barged into some houses and damaged the window panes on Saturday night. “Nearly a dozen paramilitary personnel entered our houses and ransacked the household goods. The troopers were angry after people in the area lodged peaceful protests on Friday over the civilian killing in Ramban and desecration of Quran,” said one of the local residents, wishing not to be named. The residents alleged that the troops again barged into the residential houses in the morning fuelling anger among the people. Following the highhandedness of troops, people were urged to come out of their homes on loudspeakers to protest against the unwarranted action of troops. Immediately after the announcement, eyewitnesses said, hundreds of people poured on the airport road and raised pro-freedom slogans. The protesters blocked the airport road for several hours due to which all the traffic leading to the airport was disrupted. To disperse the protesters, forces resorted to lathi-chrage and fired dozens of tear smoke shells. Several people were reportedly injured in the action. Although the traffic on the airport road was restored after few hours, protests continued for some time as people wanted erring troops be punished. Meanwhile, many separatist leaders including chairmen of both factions of Hurriyat Conference Syed Ali Geelani and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq remained under house arrest while JKLF Chief Yasin Malik and Democratic Freedom Party chairman Shabir Ahmad Shah remained in police custody. “Aga Syed AL-Hassan Al-Mousvi, Moulana Abbas Ansari, Moulana Masroor Ansari, Mukhtar Ahmad Waza, advocate Shahid-ul-Islam, Zaffar Akhbar Bhat, Salim Geelani and Chaudary Shaheen continued to remain under house arrest,” a Hurriyat (M) spokesman said. National Front chairman Nayeem Ahmad Khan also continued to remain under house arrest. SOUTH KASHMIR: At least five people, including three women, were injured as forces fired upon protestors in Khudweni area of Kulgam district. Meanwhile, curfew remained imposed throughout the major towns across South Kashmir. According to reports, people, including women and children, defied restrictions and came out in large numbers and assembled near the main mosque in Khudweni area. “The people were sloganeering when police and CRPF men opened fire injuring five people, including three women. The injured, including a mother daughter duo, have been shifted to Anantnag for treatment.” The injured were identified as Shahnawaz Ahmad Shah, son of Ghulam Muhammad of Ghati of Redwani, Shaheena, daughter of Akbar Wani of Khudwani, Haneefa , wife of Qayoom Dar of Khudwani, Rukhsana, daughter of Qayoom Dar of Khudwani and Rouf Ahmad Kumar, son of Muhammad Ramzan of Laram Ganjipra. Doctors at District Hospital Anantnag said all the injured have fire arm injuries, while one of the injured, Shaheena has been shot in the chest. In Qazigund area, following Friday’s violence, deployment of forces was increased and a strict curfew was imposed in the area. In Pulwama district though restrictions remained in place, youth clashed with the forces at some places. “There were no reports of injuries to anybody.” In Anantnag district, curfew remai
Posted on: Sun, 21 Jul 2013 07:15:52 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015