Barring few incidents of stone-pelting, situation under control: Police
Srinagar, Sep 30 (KNS): Though the authorities sealed the commercial hub Lal Chowk to foil the protest march called by the separatist leadership, clashes and protests were reported in several areas in Kashmir on 84th straight day in Kashmir.
According to a police official curfew and restrictions were imposed in several areas in Kashmir to foil the protest march called by the separatist leadership including Hurriyat (G) chairman, Syed Ali Geelani, Hurriyat (M) chairman, Mirwaiz Molvi Umar Farooq and JKLF chief, Muhammad Yasin Malik through an e-mailed statement on Sep 28.
Notably more than 85 civilians were killed while 11500 civilians were maimed during the current uprising is the Valley triggered following the killing of Hizb Commander, Burhan Wani in a ‘gunfight' in Bumdoora village of Kokernag area of South Kashmir's Anantnag district on July 08 this year.
Central Kashmir
All the educational institutes, main markets, petrol pumps and other businesses were suspended while traffic remained off the roads.
However, the authorities continued to bar people from offering mandatory Friday congregational prayers on 12thconsecutive Friday in the historical Jamia Masjid in old city Srinagar.
According to KNS correspondent, on 12th consecutive Friday, government clamped down on Nowhatta areas disallowing the people to offer the mandatory congregational prayers in the historic Masjid.
Residents told KNS that authorities had imposed curfew in the area. “Forces were deployed in huge numbers and we were not allowed to come out of our homes. We offered congregational prayers in smaller Masjids now,” inhabitants of Nowhatta said.
Reports said that Friday prayers were disallowed in other central mosques of Kashmir valley as well.
Reports said that forces had cordoned off the Jamia Masjid in all the ten districts of the valley and people offered prayers in small Mohalla mosques.
Meanwhile, according to KNS correspondent, reports of protests were reported from several areas of Srinagar including, Abi Guzar, Barzulla, Hyderpora, Ram Bagh and Dalgate.
Witnesses said that as soon as the Friday prayers ended in these areas, people staged protest against the civilian killings in Kashmir.
They said that the protesters raised slogans in favour of ‘Azadi'.
Meanwhile, following the death of two Pakistan soldiers in firing by Indian army on Line of Control, funeral prayers in absentia were offered in Barzulla area today and in the historic Jamia Masjid in Kashmir on yesterday evening.
According to KNS correspondent, hundreds of people after Friday prayers assembled in a vacant land and offered funeral prayers in absentia for slain Pakistani soldiers.
Meanwhile, reports said that following an announcement through loudspeakers in Nowhatta area of Old Srinagar on Thursday evening, people assembled in the premises of Jamia Masjid where they offered funeral prayers in absentia for the slain Pakistan Soldiers.
Meanwhile, according to KNS correspondent, clashes erupted between youth and forces in Dalgate, Kani Kadal Chota Bazar area of Habba Kadal, Chattabal, Nowgam, Natipora and Rainawari areas of Srinagar during which forces used tear gas canisters to disperse the agitating youth.
Meanwhile, reports said that in Jogi Lankar area of Rainawari, forces resorted to teargas shelling following protests by locals. “The infuriated forces entered into the houses and ransacked the valuables in the area,” they said.
“After the incident, men and women took to streets and shouted slogans against forces personnel,” the reports added.
“They entered into the homes and also injured a woman when she was sitting in her room,” reports quoting locals alleged.
Local sources said that at least five civilians were injured when they were hit by pellets. One of the injured was shifted to Rainawari hospital and others were treated locally.
Reports added that the clashes spread to Kralyar and Mughal Mohalla in Rainawari area and they are going on at this time.
Meanwhile, clashes were also reported from Batamaloo area of Srinagar.
Witnesses said that forces resort to aerial firing after their jeep came under stone pelting in the area in the wee hours of this morning.
The forces as per witnesses went deep inside Batamaloo in their jeeps making announcements at around 07:30am that curfew has been imposed in the area.
“People were out of their homes to buy essentials,” witnesses said.
They said that as soon as the two police jeeps reached Danderkhah, it came under stone pelting attack,” the local informed, “in rage, forces resorted to aerial firing.”
North Kashmir
Reports of clashes and protests were also reported from several areas throughout the day during which dozens of people sustained injuries.
According to KNS correspondent, Bhat Zahoor, following the mandatory Friday prayers, clashes erupted between youth and forces in Hajin area of North Kashmir's Bandipora district during which scores of people sustained injuries.
Witnesses said that forces used tear gas canisters, pellets to disperse the agitating youth. “Two youth were also arrested by the forces during the clashes,” they informed KNS.
They said that in main town Papchan and Khumina areas of Bandipora, clashes broke out between youth and forces in these areas during which forces used scores of tear gas canisters to disperse the agitating youth.
Local sources as per KNS correspondent said that the deployment were travelling through Khumina locality during which youth pelted stones to the deployment triggering clashes in the area. “The forces later entered in the area and ransacked scores of residential houses,” they said.
Meanwhile according to KNS correspondent, in Sadarkoot Bala area, residents staged protest against the forces actions and demanded immediate action against the force personnel involved in the damaging of their property.
The residents assembled at national highway and raised slogans against the force personnel.
They according to KNS correspondent said that their properties worth lakhs were damaged by the forces after they entered in their area. “The force personnel involved in such kind of actions should be dealt with strictly,” they demanded.
Meanwhile, according to KNS correspondent, dozens of civilians were injured during the clashes between youth and forces at Nadihal area of Baramulla district.
According to KNS correspondent, inhabitants of the area had earlier decided to offer mandatory Friday congregational prayers at a local Eidgah in Nadihal area of district Baramulla.
Eyewitnesses told KNS that as soon as the people tried to march towards Eidgah, forces came and resorted to pellets and teargas shells during which dozens of civilians were injured.
They said that the injured were shifted to District Hospital Baramulla, while one among the injured namely Ashiq Ahmad Lone, son of Ghulam Ahmad Lone was shifted to Srinagar's hospital for specialized treatment.
Meanwhile, clashes erupted between forces and youth in Baramulla that broke out after forces foiled the pro freedom rally after Friday prayers in the area. “Forces used several tear gas shells to disperse the youth,” witnesses said.
South Kashmir
A complete shutdown was observed across South Kashmir district. Local sources said that all the shops, educational institutes, business establishments and petrol pumps remained closed throughout the day.
Meanwhile local sources informed KNS that clashes erupted between youth and forces in Goriwan area of South Kashmir's Bijbehara town after the Friday congregational prayers ended in the area.
“Forces used tear gas canisters to disperse the youth who were throwing stones on them,” witnesses said.
They said that forces also thrashed a person who was walking in the area. “He sustained injuries as well,” local sources informed.
Police Version
Meanwhile, according to a statement issued by the Zonal Police Headquarters Kashmir, situation across the valley remained under control today although stray incidents of stone pelting were reported.
“As a precautionary measure curfew was imposed in few police stations of Srinagar today while all other areas of the valley remained curfew free,” it said.
According to the statement, after Friday prayers stray stone pelting incidents were reported from Sopore, Bandipora and Srinagar. “Miscreants in their attempt to disturb the situation assembled on roads and pelted stones on police and security force deployments,” it said adding they were chased away by security forces using some force.
“Barring these incidents situation remained under control,” the statement said adding that the police in its continuous and sustained drive against miscreants arrested 49 such individuals involved in different offences of disturbing the situation in different parts of the valley. (KNS)
