Curfew, restrictions, protests in Valley

The authorities re-imposed curfew in Islamabad, Sopore, Pulwama, Kakapora and Maisuma today. Demonstrations were held in curfew bound areas and other places. Police had to fire in air, burst smoke shells and resort to lathi charge to disperse the protestors. Thirty five persons were injured in the subsequent clashes. Normal life was paralysed across the Valley in view of a general strike against the recent killings. Shops and other business establishments remained closed. Transport also remained off the roads.

The curfew was relaxed in view of the Meraj-u-Alam festival since last evening. But due to the tension very less people offered the prayers at Hazratbal shrine this afternoon.
After 10-days of curfew, the relaxation was given in Islamabad last evening. But curfew was re-imposed there this morning after the protests.

However, curfew restrictions in the civil lines area of Khanabal-Pahalgam (KP) road were eased out till Saturday evening. Curfew in the town was imposed on June 29 following the killing of three teenagers inside a residential house at Anchidora. People have been complaining of shortage of essentials while life saving drugs and baby food according to the local chemists was not available.
Shutdown and protests continued in Bijbehara, Sangam, Mattan, Dooru and Achabal. The residents of the town have been demanding stern punishment against the police and officials involved in the killing of three youth.

Two youth have already been booked under PSA and are lodged in Srinagar Central jail while Qazi Yasir who was booked under PSA and was shifted to Kotbale jail.

Hundreds of youth assembled at Lal Chowk in Islamabad, burnt dozens of tyres, staged protests and resorted to stone-pelting at police and CRPF personnel deployed in the area. The police and para-military troopers, in retaliation to quell the protesting youth, fired tear smoke shells. After having failed to disperse the angry youth even after resorting to heavy tear-gassing, the authorities deployed huge contingents of police and CRPF in all the localities of the town which enforced strict restrictions on the movement of the people.

“Though the imposition of curfew was not announced by the authorities yet the restrictions were so severe that we were not allowed to venture out of the gates of our houses,” the residents told Kashmir Times over phone.

In Pulwama also, where the curfew was relaxed last evening after three consecutive days, the strict curfew was re-imposed in the morning after thousands of people assembled in the Main Chowk and held protests.

Reports said that thousands of people including women and children assembled near Muran Chowk and in a procession started marching towards the Main Chowk. Eyewitnesses said the police and CRPF men in order to quell the protesters resorted to heavy teargas shelling and cane charge triggering violent clashes. During the ensuing clashes, eyewitnesses said, at least 10 persons were injured after being ruthlessly beaten up by the police. Police also arrested at least five youth for taking part in protests.

To control the situation, residents said, the authorities again announced the re-imposition of curfew in the town.

After the announcement of the curfew, huge number of police and para-military troopers were deployed in every nook and corner of the town to prevent the people from taking to roads and staging protests again.

In Kakpora where 12 persons and nine policemen including a Dy SP were injured in violent clashes amid curfew yesterday, the authorities continued to put in place the strict curfew for the fourth consecutive day without any relaxation.

Meanwhile a complete shutdown was observed in the entire south Kashmir with no transport plying on the roads.

In Srinagar, since early morning the protestors came out in the streets at Qamarwari, Naaz cinema, Nowhatta and Maisuma of Srinagar city to protests the recent killings. However, they were chased away by the police and paramilitary troopers.

In Maisuma the police and CRPF re-imposed the curfew however they had to face tough resistance as the youth pelted stones on them. Police and CRPF resorted to tear gas smoke shells and resorted to lathi charge. In the subsequent clashes four persons were injured.
Raising pro-freedom and anti-India slogans, the protestors were demanding action against the police and paramilitary soldiers involved in recent killing of youth at Maisuma.
The police and paramilitary troopers lobbed tear smoke shells and resorted to heavy baton charge to disperse the protestors at Nowhatta. In Parimpora, Chanpora, Peerbagh and Batmaloo areas of Srinagar city, the police had to lob tear smoke shells and use force to quell the protesters.
Reports of the protests were also received from Central district of Budgam. Reports said that hundreds of youth took to streets in Budgam town and Ompora area of the district. They were raising anti-India and anti-government slogans. Police and CRPF burst tear smoke shells and resorted to heavy lath charge. At least six protesters were injured in clashes in the central district.
The north Kashmir’s Sopore town remained under the curfew for the fifteenth consecutive day today. The authorities had relaxed the curfew in view of Shab-e-Meraj in town, however, had to re-impose after the protest demonstration.

Baramulla town of North Kashmir also witnessed the protests in the morning however, police and CRPF dispersed the protesters.