Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Sept 19: Curfew that continued in Shopian town for past eight days was relaxed this evening while clashes broke out in parts of old city Srinagar and Palhalan area of North Kashmir over the arrest of a youth by police and killing of two militants by security forces.
Shopian town in South Kashmir remained under curfew for the eighth consecutive day today following killing of five persons in CRPF firing in two separate incidents early this month.
However, curfew was relaxed at around 4:30 p.m. but shops remained closed and traffic was off the roads during the relaxation period.
Shopian has been under curfew since September 8, barring September 11 when the authorities lifted curfew, but protests and subsequent firing led to another death and re-imposition of the restrictions in the town.
Four persons were killed allegedly by CRPF personnel outside their camp on September 7, while another person died when the paramilitary force resorted to firing to disperse protestors outside the camp on September 11.
Residents said that the township is facing crisis of essential commodities and apple worth crores of rupees is rotting in the stores and orchards.
In the meantime, President of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti today visited the town for the first time since the killing of 4 persons on September 7. Earlier, no one except a Government delegation visited the town but the Civil Society in Shopain refused to meet them.
In Srinagar, Police today arrested one Mushtaq Ahmed Shiekh son of Ghulam Mohi-u-Din resident of Syedpora, Nowhatta during a nocturnal raid at his residence. Sheikh was arrested on charges of stone pelting.
A police party from police station Nowhatta raided his house and arrested Sheikh. Family members, however, refuted police claim and said that Sheikh is working as a conductor with Tata 407 (JK04-7604). This is for the second time that Sheikh was arrested. Earlier, he was booked by police under PSA in 2008 and was released after four years in 2012.
Sheikh’s family members came out on the roads and blocked the traffic demanding his immediate release. All the shops remained closed against his arrest in Nowhatta and its adjacent areas.
In the evening scores of youth came out on roads and resorted to stone-pelting. Police use tear smoke shells to disperse the protestors.
North Kashmir’s Palhalan area observed shut down today against the killing of two militants by police and Army. Authorities imposed curfew like restrictions in the area to thwart any protests. Shops and business establishments remained closed and transport was off the roads.
Police and CRPF personnel fired tear smoke shells to disperse the agitated youth, who resorted to stone-pelting in Palhalan area.
One youth identified as Ajaz Ahmed son of Nazir Ahmed was injured in the clashes and he was referred to Srinagar for treatment.
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