Curfew to foil Lal Chowk march, 60 injured

Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Aug 14: Police for second consecutive day today sealed Lal Chowk and imposed strict curfew in its surroundings to prevent separatist march while Srinagar city and major towns were also put under strict curfew to prevent violence. Reports of protest rallies and clashes between security forces and protesters were reported from several parts of the Valley in which over 60 persons were injured.
Police and para-military forces sealed Lal Chowk for second day today and closed all roads leading to the city centre with concertina wires and erected iron barricades to foil separatist march. The separatists had called for Lal Chowk march on August 13 and 14.
Huge contingent of security forces were deployed on the roads and streets in and around Lal Chowk and all exit and entry routes were sealed.
Security forces sealed roads with iron barricades and concertina wires and enforced curfew strictly so as to prevent Lal Chowk march. They were patrolling the streets and movement of people and traffic was completely restricted in the curfew bound areas.
Authorities imposed strict curfew in Srinagar and other major towns of Kashmir and BSNL broad band internet services continue to remain blocked to prevent flare up in violence on August 14 and August 15. The mobile internet services are already down for last one month. The post paid mobile services were shut down last night with only BSNL post paid mobile service working.
And for the seventh day today, the vehicles on Srinagar-Jammu, Srinagar-Baramulla-Kupwara and Srinagar-Bandipora were seen plying in the morning.
The train services between Banihal and Baramulla remained disrupted for 37th day today and major roads remained shut due to blockades by protesters.
Over three dozen people including Dukhtaran-e-Milat chairperson Asiya Andrabi were injured during clashes in different parts of Kashmir valley.
A group of women led by chairperson of Dukhtaran-e-Milat Aasiya Andrabi, were injured when security forces fired teargas shells to foil a protest march by women in South Kashmir’s Tral town today.
In Dharmuna Soibugh area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district, six youth were injured when security forces fired at protesters after they pelted stones at an Army camp. The security forces fired at and three youth were hit by bullets. Two of them have been identified as Muzaffar Ahmad Malik and Asif Ahmad.
Reports said that during intervening night of August 13 and 14, some youth had hoisted flags at Dharmuna, Soibugh area. They said that security forces in the morning pulled down all the flags. This led to tension in the area with large number of people gathering outside the Army camp and they pelted stones on security forces.
A police spokesman said that about 2000 miscreants attacked an Army camp at Dharmuna Soibugh, Budgam today. “While tackling with the huge mob six persons were injured”, the spokesman said.
Nine people were injured in Malangpora village of Pulwama district after security forces dispersed a protest rally this morning.
The residents in Malangpora and other adjoining areas gathered on the streets this morning and started marching towards the main town. However, security force personnel who were deployed in strength in the area thwarted the march by using teargas and pellets.
A protest rally which was attended by thousands of people was also held at Redwani Anantnag in which four militants appeared on the podium and one of them addressed the gathering.
Clashes were also reported from North Kashmir’s Bandipora area. Despite curfew large number of youth assembled at town’s main square. As the youth tried to march towards Nusoo, a huge contingent of police and paramilitary forces intercepted them and fired several tear-gas shells to disperse them, triggering clashes in which several protesters were injured.
In Aragam village of the Bandipora, a peaceful protest was held in which hundreds of people, including women and children, took part. The protesters later dispersed off peacefully.
At least 40 people were injured in Azad Gunj area of Baramulla district after police and para-military forces fired tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters. A protest march that started from Jamia Masjid was intercepted by the security forces at Azad Gunj leading to clashes which lasted for several hours.
Clashes and protests were also reported from Delina area of Baramulla in which 4 protesters were injured in firing. In Nowpora, Sopore, 15 persons were injured in clashes that broke out today.
In the meantime, a police spokesman said here today that the law and order situation remained peaceful in the most parts of Kashmir valley. “Twenty one incidents of stone pelting were reported from Anantnag, Shopian, Awantipora, Budgam, Srinagar, Baramulla, Sopore and Bandipora”, he said.
The spokesman said that restrictions under Section 144/CrPC remained in force in the Valley. However, curfew was imposed in Srinagar and in the towns of Anantnag, Awantipora, Ganderbal, Baramulla, Sopore and Bandipora.
“At Hillar in the jurisdiction of police station Kokernag in Anantnag, miscreants about 200 in number tried to disrupt the traffic movement on Hillar-Kokernag road. They pelted stones on police and security forces. At Keegam, Shopian a group of miscreants, about 500 in number pelted stones on Police Post Keegam”, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said that at Tral, Awantipora, miscreants assembled at Shariefabad and Noor Masjid Tral and pelted stones on security force deployments.
“At Azad Gunj, Baramulla, miscreants assembled and pelted stones on security force deployments. At Bomai, Sopore, miscreants blocked the road and pelted stones on police”, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said: “At Bandipora, miscreants assembled at Nesu, Gulshan Abad and Mantrigam areas and pelted stones on security force deployments”.
The spokesman said that despite grave provocation at most of the places, the security forces exercised maximum restraint to contain the situation and chase away the miscreants.
Earlier today, police sent back the 15-year-old girl Jhanvi Behal, who along with a few persons, had come from Ludhiana to unfurl national flag at historic clock Tower in Lal Chowk here, on the occasion of 70th Independence Day. Behal, was sent back from Srinagar airport.

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