Over 50 injured in fresh clashes in Kashmir, pro-azaadi rallies foiled
Srinagar: More than fifty people were injured in fresh clashes across Kashmir Valley on Tuesday even as curfew was lifted from southern Pulwama town. Elsewhere it remained in force only in two police station areas of summer capital Srinagar.
Among the injured are five women and an equal number of policemen, and cameraman of a private TV channel Aijaz Ahmed. Police arrested 14 people during or immediately after the clashes which occurred in Batamalloo, Tengpora and Bagh-e-Mehtaab areas of Srinagar, Mahmoodabad, Dooru in Anantnag, Muhammad Pora in Kulgam, Chankipora and Main Chowk of Sopore town in Baramulla, Kaloosa in Bandipore and Watho in Shopian districts.
Life continued to remain at a standstill across the Valley where a shutdown is being observed in response to the 'protest calendar' and extended from time to time. However, private cars and auto-rickshaws were seen plying on select routes of mainly uptown Srinagar. At places, groceries, pharmacies and vegetable and milk kiosks were also open. Reports received in Srinagar said that women took out processions and held demonstrations in a number of places across the Valley in response to a call earlier issued by the separatists' alliance. The security forces fired teargas canisters and pellet guns at a few places to quell the protests. Protesters torched Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s effigies including one in Nawa Kadal area of Srinagar.
Residents of Srinagar’s Batamalloo area alleged that the security forces forcibly entered their homes, ransacked them and also thrashed inmates. Among the houses which were attacked, one is of a photojournalist Danish Ismail. “I was not at home when the incident took place. Later, I was told the uniformed men damaged several homes including ours. They smashed the window panes and then threw rocks inside. My wife was so scared by their behaviour that she fainted,” he said. The Kashmir Press Photographers Association strongly condemned the incident.
Reports said that the security forces foiled ‘pro-aazadi’ rallies at a few places including in southern Kulgam and Shopian areas where marquees erected for these were uprooted, banners removed and flags confiscated. However, one such rally was held even after clashes at Panzath in Qazigund area of Kulgam. Witnesses said the locals resisted the security forces' raid at the venue of the rally leading to a clash, during which the latter lobbed teargas and fired pellet guns injuring over a dozen people. The people reassembled at the venue later to hold the rally, they added.
A statement issued by police in Srinagar later afternoon said that following lifting of curfew except in Nowhatta and Maharaj Gunj police station areas of Srinagar “greater movement of private and passenger vehicular traffic and people was observed in major areas of the Valley including Srinagar city.” It also said that barring few minor stone pelting incidents, the overall situation remained peaceful and under control throughout the Valley.
