Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Aug 10: Curfew, shutdown and protests continued across Kashmir for 33rd day today during which over one dozen persons were injured in clashes that broke out at many places across Valley.
Curfew in Old City, Maisuma and Batamaloo areas in Srinagar and Anantnag districts continued today while in parts of Valley restrictions were imposed in several towns to thwart protests while rest of the city observed shutdown for 33rd day today. Reports of protests and clashes were reported from several parts of Valley.
A large contingent of police and paramilitary CRPF personnel were deployed on roads and streets and they had erected concertina wires at entry and exit points in several localities to prevent any protests.
A police spokesman said: “Barring few incidents of stone pelting by miscreants, the overall situation in the Valley remained normal and under control. Although restrictions under Section 144/CrPC remained in force in the Valley, curfew was imposed in some parts of Srinagar and Anantnag towns only.”
Though the public transport was completely off the roads here in city, some private vehicles and auto-rickshaws were seen plying on the roads of civil lines including Residency Road, MA Road, Dalgate, Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar, Batamaloo and Sonwar.
For the third day, the vehicles on Srinagar-Jammu, Srinagar-Baramulla-Kupwara and Srinagar-Bandipora were also seen plying today with security forces deployed along the highway for smooth vehicular movement. However, the other major roads continued to remain blocked.
The train services between Banihal and Baramulla remained disrupted for 33rd day today and major roads remained shut due to blockades by protesters.
The shops, business establishments and most of the banks remained shut with only some shops selling essentials opened in the early morning and late evening and people were seen busy in buying essentials.
The prepaid cell phone services and mobile internet continues to remain blocked across Valley and only BSNL broad band internet services are functional.
Around 10 persons were injured clashes broke out at Lassipora area of Sogam in Lolab area of Kupwara district today. Local residents said that police fired teargas and pellets to foil the protest, resulting in injuries to the protesters.
One youth Shabir Ahmad Lone was shifted to Srinagar as he was hit by a teargas canister in his abdomen. The clashes were also reported from Lalpora in Lolab. A police spokesman said that condition of Lone is stable.
“Miscreants about, 50, assembled near Lassipora area of Sogam, Kupwara and tried to block the Kupwara-Sogam road by pelting stones on the civilian vehicles. In order to ensure smooth flow of vehicular traffic, the Police/Security forces chased the miscreants away. One person Shabir Ahmad Lone resident of Lassipora was injured. He was shifted to District Hospital Kupwara for treatment. His condition is stated to be stable,” a police spokesman said here.
A large number of protesters this morning gathered at Sangrama in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district on National Highway and pelted stones on the security forces who were deployed on security duty. Police and CRPF deployed fired tearsmoke shells and dispersed them.
Police said “about 300 miscreants assembled near Sangrama in the jurisdiction of police station Tarzoo, Sopore and started pelting stones on the police party”. “Later, they were chased away by using mild force,” the police spokesman added.
Reports meanwhile from north Kashmir said that the security forces including Army are strictly enforcing night curfew at Baramulla, Kupwara and Sopore.
Protests were also reported from Kenusa area of North Kashmir’s Bandipora district against what they called security forces excesses. The protestors blocked Bandipora-Sopore highway, demanding action against the erring security men.
Protests broke out at Tengpora area of Batamaloo in Srinagar today. The protesters were demanding action against DySP who is accused of killing of a youth Shabir Ahmad in the area on July 10.
Protests and clashes were also reported from Zampa Kadal and Nowgam areas of Srinagar today. Police fired tear smoke shells and used pellets to disperse the protesters.
Protests and clashes were reported from Kaka Sarai area of Srinagar today and police fired tearsmoke shells at them and they were dispersed. Protests were also reported from Chota Bazar area of Srinagar.
A police spokesman said that youth pelted stones security forces’ deployments near Tatoo ground and Noor Bagh in Srinagar and tried to disrupt the flow of civilian traffic. “They were chased away,” the police spokesman said here.
A boat rally was held at Pazalpora area of Bijbehera in Anantnag district today. The rally participants were raising slogans against the killings in Kashmir but it concluded peacefully.
A protest rally was also held at Qoimoh area of Kulgam district in South Kashmir today that was addressed by Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani on telephone. Another rally was held at Padgampora in Pulwama.
Meanwhile, to ascertain the cause of death of the youth killed in Tengpora area of Batamaloo on July 10, the Srinagar District Magistrate has ordered the exhumation of the body to carry out the post-mortem.
The DC Farooq Ahmad Lone has directed the Chief Medical Officer to constitute a team of experts for conducting the post-mortem. The SDM (East) Syed Haneef Balkhi has been deployed as Magistrate, in whose presence the exhumation, post-mortem and reburial would be done.
The DM said the entire process of exhumation would be conducted in the presence of the close relatives of the deceased, who might want to be present.
In its application before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, the father of deceased youth Shabir Ahmad, in an affidavit, has alleged that his son was killed by DySP Yasir Qadri, killed his son.
The DM’s order says: “In view of the circumstances explained by the Srinagar SSP for the transparent investigation of the case and by virtue of powers vested in me, the order for exhumation of body of Shabir Ahmad Mir is issued for conducting medico-legal formalities.”
The SSP had requested that the exhumation of the body be ordered so that the investigation could be carried out. The postmortem of the body of Shabir was not conducted before his last rites.
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