* Watch video on Excelsior Youtube channel
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Aug 9: The Incharge Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police, S K Mishra, today said that they will enhance the deployment of security forces across Kashmir to prevent untoward incidents.
In the meanwhile, curfew, restrictions in parts of Kashmir and shutdown continued for 32nd day today paralyzing life as over 100 people including security forces personnel were injured in clashes that broke out at several places.
Mishra told reporters in Srinagar that more security forces will be deployed across Kashmir if the situation deteriorates. “We will enhance the deployment so that no untoward incident takes place. Things are improving and we will deploy more forces if situation deteriorates”, he said.
The DGP said that police will provide security to the shopkeepers and appealed them to open their shops. “This is the bad thing. People should open shops during day time and we are ready to provide protection to everybody. I appeal people to open shops and we will definitely provide security”, he said.
“We are trying to maintain law and order and people should lead a normal life”, said Mishra.
In the meantime, curfew remained strictly enforced in parts of Srinagar and Anantnag districts and there were restrictions in other parts of Kashmir. Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were deployed in the curfew bound areas and main roads were blocked with concertina wires and mobile bunkers were also stationed at vantage points to prevent any protests.
Elsewhere, security forces were heavily deployed in sensitive areas across Kashmir to prevent clashes. “Although restrictions under Section 144/CrPC remained in force in the Valley, curfew was imposed in some parts of Srinagar and Anantnag towns only”, the spokesman said.
In Srinagar, protests were reported from Dalgate, Batamaloo and several parts of the old city during which police and CRPF fired tear smoke shells to disperse them.
The shops opened in Srinagar’s Lal Chowk area this evening and large numbers of people were seen shopping in the business centre. Some vehicles were also seen plying in the Civil Lines area for the first time in past 32 days. However, at around 8 p.m. some youth came out and forced the shopkeepers to shut their shops. The shops that had opened in the old city area this evening were also forced to shut down by some youth.
Twenty five people including three policemen were wounded in violent clashes at Singhpora Pattan in North Kashmir today. Reports said that protesters tried to set ablaze a police vehicle at Singhpora. However, security forces fired pellets to disperse them resulting in the injuries of at least 25 people. Chowki Officer Mirgund and two SPOs were also wounded during the clashes.
A protest was reported from Yedipora Pattan in Baramulla district where people alleged that Police barged into their houses and beat up inmates. Two people were injured in the clashes between protesters and security force personnel.
The shopkeepers at Iqbal market and Chankhan Sopore in district Baramulla said that they were beaten up by security forces as they opened their shops. Earlier, during the day in Sopore, protesters blocked roads to prevent movement of the traffic.
The protesters attacked police post at Awoora in Kupwara district this evening. Dozens of protesters and cops were injured in the clashes. Protesters also attack Lalpora police station and tried to dismantle it’s boundary wall by using the earth mover. Over two dozen protesters and cops were injured in the clashes.
Earlier, in the day people tried to take out a protest march and security forces personnel lobbed tear-gas shells and resorted to aerial firing to disperse them. At least 13 protesters were wounded and one of them, Shabir Ahmed Bhat, was shifted to a Srinagar hospital.
“A mob of 3000 people assembled near Jamia Masjid Lalpora in Kupwara district and started stone pelting on the police/security forces. Some militants were spotted in the mob. During dispersal of the mob two persons were injured. One of them was injured in stampede who has been referred to SKIMS Srinagar”, said the police spokesman.
Residents of several localities of Kupwara including Malik Mohalla, Jamia Qadeem Mir Mohalla ,Regipora, Darzipora of Kupwara town, Trehgam, Kralpora, Lalpora, Kalaroos and other areas alleged that forces ransacked residential houses and damaged the windowpanes. They held protests against this today.
Reports of protests and stone pelting was reported from Ajas area of Bandipora district of North Kashmir. Police fired tear smoke shells to disperse the protesters during which around one dozen protesters were injured.
“About 70 miscreants pelted stones on police/security forces deployment at Ajas, in the jurisdiction of police station Sumbal. There are no reports of injury to anybody so far”, said a police spokesman.
Twenty persons, including women, were injured after security forces fired pellets and teargas shells to quell a protest in Qazigund area of Anantnag. Reports said that security forces fired teargas shells and pellets on protesters in Vessu area of the district. Over three dozen protesters including police men were injured in the clashes. Some of the protesters suffered pellet injuries.
Protests were reported from Chursu in Awantipora area of Pulwama district today and security forces fired tear smoke to disperse them during which several people were injured.
A police spokesman said: “A group of miscreants assembled near village Chursoo, Awantipora on National Highway and tried to block the National Highway by pelting stones on the vehicles. In order to ensure smooth flow of vehicular traffic, the Police/Security forces reached the spot and chased the miscreants away.”
Reports from South Kashmir’s Pulwama district said that thousands of people organized a rally in Lelhar, Kakapora area.
A police spokesman said: “Except for three incidents of stone pelting by miscreants on police deployments in Awantipora, Lalpora, Kupwara and Ajas area of Bandipora district, the overall situation in the Valley remained normal and under control.”
The Valley observed shutdown, protests and curfew for 32nd day today. Schools and colleges remained closed. The attendance in the Government offices was negligible in Srinagar city and other parts of Kashmir valley they were mostly closed.
The train services between Banihal and Baramulla remained disrupted for 32nd 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.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
