Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Mar 8: In one of the worst clashes since last month and despite curfew in Srinagar city and major towns of Kashmir valley, over 130 people including 77 police and para-military Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were injured, some of them critically, today.
Curfew in Srinagar and major towns of Kashmir valley disrupted normal life for 5th consecutive day today and people defied curfew in parts of Srinagar and other major towns especially in North Kashmir after Friday prayers.
Police sources said here that there were over 100 incidents of stone pelting and protests across Kashmir valley today. “At around 65 places there were stone pelting incidents while at around 40 places there were peaceful protests”, the sources added.
Police and CRPF intercepted the protesters who threw stone on them and they in return fired tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters. The protests were going on at several places till late in the evening during which around 130 people including police and CRPF men were injured.
A police spokesman said here that curfew remained imposed in major towns of the Valley. “Situation remained by and large normal. There were some incidents of stone pelting at some places. Seventy seven police and CRPF men were injured while tackling the situations at different places”, he added.
The spokesman said that miscreants pelted stones at Soura in Srinagar, footbridge Dewan Bagh in Baramulla, Shopian, Anantnag, Awantipora, Qaimouh Kulgam, Sopore, Kupwara, Bandipora and Handwara.
The spokesman said that in South Kashmir, nine police and CRPF men were injured while tackling the law and order situation. “In Kulgam five CRPF men, in Shopian four Policemen, in Anantnag one cop and in Awantipora one policeman was injured”, he added.
The spokesman said that in North Kashmir 65 police and CRPF men were injured in clashes. “In Sopore eight CRPF men and 10 policemen, one of them seriously, were injured. In Handwara five policemen including two Sub Inspectors and an ASI were injured. In Baramulla four policemen including an Inspector and a lady while as in Bandipora 19 police men and 11 CRPF personnel were injured. In Kupwara eight Police men were injured”, he added.
The spokesman said that in Srinagar three police personnel were injured in clashes that broke out at several places across the city.
The spokesman further said that one civilian was injured this evening in stone pelting in Pattan in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district. While giving details he said that miscreants pelted stones on a Santro vehicle near Pandowpark, Pattan. “One civilian was injured when stone pelters pelted stones on his car he was travelling. The injured was shifted to SKIMS for treatment”, the spokesman added.
Despite curfew there were reports of protests from Soura, Ilahi Bagh, Rajouri Kadal, Hyderpora, Galwanpora and Baghe Mehtab areas of Srinagar city. Police fired tear smoke and charged batons on the protesters in which around one dozen protesters were injured.
In North Kashmir’s Baramulla town protests broke out in old town, Palhalan and Kunzar area during which police fired tear smoke to disperse the protesters. Around a dozen protesters including four women were injured in the clashes.
Clashes were also reported from Sopore town of Baramulla district where over a half dozen CRPF men were injured in Niharpora. Residents alleged that the CRPF men later ransacked several house and beat up people in the locality. One youth was arrested but he was later on let off after the intervention of the local administration.
There were reports of protests and clashes from several parts of Kupwara district including Handwara, Lolab and Treigam during which police and CRPF fired tear smoke and charged batons on the protesters. Over two dozen protesters were injured in these clashes.
In Lalpora Kupwara several security men were injured in clashes and during tear smoke shelling cow shed of one Khazar Mohammad caught fire. The fire was, however, brought under control. One Zona Begum was injured in the clashes. She was removed to hospital for treatment.
In North Kashmir’s Bandipora district worst clashes were reported from Naid Khai, Saderkote, Hajjan areas during which over 50 people including around 30 security men were injured. Protesters pelted stones on Police and CRPF in retaliation fired tear smoke shells to disperse them.
The protests took place in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district during which 2 persons were injured in clashes that broke out between police and protesters. Protests were also reported from Charar-e-Sharif, Chadora and Pakharpora areas of Budgam in which over a half a dozen persons were injured.
Protests also took place at several places in South Kashmir’s Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian and Anantnag districts in which two dozen persons including 9 security men were injured.
Meanwhile a police spokesman said here today that during the past few days 103 vehicles, including 20 civil, suffered damage at the hands of miscreants in stone pelting at various places in South Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Awantipora, Kulgam and Shopian. “These vehicles include 35 Police, 45 CRPF and three Government vehicles also”, the spokesman added.
Police said the miscreants also damaged the windowpanes of Court complex Dooru and Rest house. “Windowpanes and two Desktop computers of a private company at Simthan were also damaged by miscreants. Miscreants also damaged a Hotel in Pulwama and an animal husbandry building in Shopian. In tackling the situation, 192 persons including 109 policemen and 73 CRPF personnel were injured. Ten civilians were also injured”, the spokesman added.
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