Fayaz Bukhari
—Excelsior/Amin War
SRINAGAR, May 2: Curfew that was imposed in parts of Srinagar after the killing of a youth in old city area of Srinagar on Wednesday evening will continue for third consecutive day tomorrow.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Farooq Ahmad Shah, said that curfew that was imposed following protests against the killing of a 22-year-old youth, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, on Wednesday will continue tomorrow in parts of Srinagar city.
There were protests against the killing of the youth for third consecutive day today in which at least 5 persons were injured and a spontaneous shutdown paralysed life in Kashmir valley. The curfew that was imposed on Thursday continued today in parts of Srinagar city, however, it was relaxed in the evening.
Ahmad was killed after security forces opened fire on protesters in Nawa Kadal area of old city Wednesday evening soon after the polling for Parliamentary constituency of Srinagar concluded.
Large number of police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in riot gear and armed with assault rifles were deployed across the downtown to enforce restrictions on the movement of people. They erected barricades, laid concertina wires and deployed mobile bunkers at various places across old city area to restrict the civilian movement in Nowhatta, Saraf Kadal, Rajouri Kadal, Nawa Kadal, and other parts of the old city. Due to curfew, no prayers were offered at Jamia Masjid Srinagar.
A complete spontaneous shutdown was observed against the killing of Bashir Ahmad with shops, schools, colleges and other commercial establishment shut and public transport was also off the roads and the work in banks and Government offices also remained affected. Shutdown was observed in north Kashmir’s Baramulla, Palhallan, Bandipora, Hajin, Naidkhai, Sopore and Kupwara.
Protests broke out in Hyderpora area of uptown against the killing of Bashir soon after the Friday prayers today. “Scores of people took to streets and held protests against the killing. Protesters were chased away by police and they in return pelted stones on them. One person was arrested during the clashes by police.
The photojournalists who were covering the protests accused police of preventing them from carrying out their professional work. The journalists said that police abused them and chased them away. They said that they were forced by police to leave the spot.
They said that they were chased by police and they took shelter in the residential houses. Last week two photographers- Farooq Javed and Javed Dar were beaten up in Kulgam south Kashmir when they were covering elections. However, IGP Kashmir A G Mir said that one police men was suspended for beating up the two photographers in Kulgam.
In the meantime, the youth took to streets and pelted stones on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police who were retreating from curfew bound areas of Srinagar this evening.
In Nawab Bazar area of old city, clashes broke out between youth and CRPF. Locals alleged that CRPF smashed window panes and glasses of many residential houses during clashes. The clashes continued till evening during which police fired several tear smoke shells to disperse the youth.
Protests broke out in Hajin, Naidkhai, Bandipora town, Papchan, Sopore, Khanpora in Baramulla town, and Palhallan in south Kashmir after Friday prayers in which 4 people were injured.
Protests also broke out in Qamaria Chowk and at Saloora in central Kashmir district of Ganderbal.
In South Kashmir’s Qazigund, one Aijaz Ahmad Shiekh was injured during clashes between youth and police. In Pulwama, minor stone-throwing incidents were reported from Samboora and in Pulwama town. The minor clashes also broke out in Anantnag town, Khudwani and Qaimoh in Kulgam.
A police spokesman said that situation remained normal throughout the Valley. “However, isolated stone pelting by some miscreants were reported from Gulshan Chowk and Naid Khai in Bandipora and Khanpora in Baramulla”, the spokesman added.
“Miscreants pelted upon an ambulance at Sheikh Mohalla Bandipora resulting in injuries to the ambulance driver Javed Ahmad Mir and damage to the ambulance”, the spokesman said.
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