Kashmir shuts against Shopian killings Protests, clashes in Baramulla; Maisuma under ‘siege’ SHABIR IBN YUSUF Srinagar, Sep 8: Kashmir Valley observed complete shutdown on Sunday against the killing of four persons in Shopian district in south Kashmir by paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Saturday. Maisuma area in Srinagar witnessed severe restrictions on movement of people. The shutdown call was given by both factions of Hurriyat Conference and Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik. Reports said shops and business establishments across the summer capital of Srinagar and other major towns of Kashmir Valley remained closed while public and private transport was off the roads. At many places, inter-district transport was also affected. Four youth were killed and one injured critically when paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) fired on six youth riding two bikes in Gagran Shopian in south Kashmir on Saturday. The incident took place hours before the controversial Zubin Mehta concert in famed Shalimar Garden of Srinagar. Though the CRPF claimed that the slain were militants but the locals say that all killed youth were civilians killed in unprovoked firing. The incident triggered massive protests and clashes in the entire district. To foil any attempt of protests against the killings, the authorities had Sunday deployed heavy contingents of police and CRPF personnel in Srinagar and other major towns of Kashmir while cops in full riot-gear were seen patrolling the streets. Reports said police have arrested about a dozen youth from Rainawari and other areas of Srinagar in nocturnal raids in the past two days. They are lodged in Police Station Nowhatta. In Maisuma area of Srinagar, the authorities put in place severe restrictions to stop movement of people. The entry and exit points to the area were also sealed with barbed wire. Reports said normal life was paralyzed due to the strike in Kashmir districts including Kupwara, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Budgam and Anantnag. Shutdown was also observed in some other areas of Kupwara including Kulangam, Handwara, Trehgam, Lolab, Langate and Main Town. Meanwhile JKLF chief Muhammad Yasin Malik continued to be in police custody for the second day after he was arrested during a protest rally against the Shopian killings yesterday and firing on a civilian by the force at Budshah Bridge here. A JKLF spokesman said Malik and other leaders including Showkat Ahmad Bakhshi and human rights activist Muhammad Ahsan Unto continue to be lodged in Kothibagh police station. Malik in his message from police custody condemned the “biased reporting” by Indian media about Shopian incident. Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) Syed Ali Geelani continued to remain under house detention while Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) chairman Shabir Ahmad Shah, National Front (NF) chairman Nayeem Ahmad Khan and Salvation Movement chairman Zaffar Akbar Bhat were put under house arrest. Baramulla town witnessed a complete shutdown in response to the strike call over the Shopian killings. All shops were closed and traffic movement was badly affected. At Khanpora bridge, clashes between youths and police where witnessed throughout the day. Police fired scores of tear smoke shells to quell the protesting youths and these clashes continued till evening. In the evening, reports said two youths sustained pellet injuries during the clashes in Baramulla town. One of the injured youth identified as Adil Ahmmad Dar son of Nazir Ahmad of old town Baramulla was hit by a pellet in his left eye and was immediately rushed to a Srinagar hospital for specialized treatment. Reports of complete shutdown were also reported from Palhallan, Pattan, Rafiabad, Kreeri and Wagoora areas of the district. Life in frontier district Kupwara remained paralyzed. All shops and business establishments remained closed in Kupwara, Trehgam, Kralpora, Vilgam, Sogam, Lalpora, Handwara and Langate towns. Roads wore a deserted look as public transport was off.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 02:45:00 +0000
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