By News Agency of Kashmir
Srinagar: Violent protest demonstrations over transfer of land to SASB continued on second consecutive day today across Kashmir Valley. Two civilian died and sixteen others were injured when police opened fire on protest demonstrations at two different places, while at least forty persons including four tourists and seven cops were injured as furious mobs damaged windshields of over dozens private vehicles at various places in Valley.
Protest continues against the government decision of ‘allotting land to SASB’ and killing of a youth in police firing in Srinagar throughout the valley and the Srinagar city along with other districts witnessing complete shut down with little movement of traffic on roads on second consecutive day today.
Protest at Nowhatta, photo by NAK
Reports pouring in from different parts of Valley said that the people in groups came on roads and raised anti-government slogans demanding cancellation of government order of ‘land transfer’ and judicial probe in killing of youth in police firing.
People came on roads in large number at Mazhama Magam and blocked Srinagar-Gulmarg road. The protestors soon turned violent and started pelting stones on cops, which tried to disperse them by using lathicharge.
However, the situation turned ugly when some of the cops opened nozzle of their barrels and fired several bullets on the protestors. Eyewitnesses told News Agency of Kashmir that the cops fired directly aiming at the protestors and seven persons received bullet injuries.
One of the injured, identified as Farooq Ahmed Rather son of Abdul Samad of Mazhama was rushed to SKIMS, where he was declared brought dead.
Similar protest demonstrations were reported from all most all the major towns of Kashmir Valley.
Police allegedly opened fire on a group of protesting youth at Nowa Bazar area of down-town Srinagar, this evening, killing one civilian and injuring around ten others.
Chanting slogans against the government decision and PDP-Congress coalition government people took to streets and throw stones on vehicles at Nowhata, Ganderbal Lal chowk.
Four tourists including three women were wounded in a stone throwing accident when protesters targeted a vehicle at Nishat on the banks of Dal Lake, the sources told News Agency of Kashmir.
One injured was provided medical assistance while another three were shifted to Soura Medical Institute SKIMS for specialised treatment, a police officer told NAK.
About ten persons were injured when a group of 20 to 50 people resorted to stone-pelting on passing vehicles including three-wheelers at Rambagh on Srinagar-Airport while five more were injured at different places across the valley, the sources said adding about dozens of private vehicles were damaged.
The sources said three more persons were injured in a similar incident at nearby Natipora where two vehicles were damaged.
Irate mobs also indulged in stone-pelting on passing vehicles at Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama, Bandipora and Baramulla districts damaging windscreens of over a dozen vehicles.
Meanwhile, late evening ‘police handout’ claimed that one person died, nineteen others including four policemen, two CRPF personnel and three tourists were injured in different incidents in Srinagar and Budgam.
Quoting SSP Budgam, S A H. Bukhari police spokesman told News Agency of Kashmir that one person Farooq Ahmad Rather, son of Asadullah, resident of Mazhama Budgam was killed by a stray bullet which hit him when he was in his home on second storey. Police had resorted to firing in air to disperse the protestors.
He said Constable Nitin Kumar was seriously injured at Mazhama Magam in Budgam district in the stone pelting. The seriously injured police man has been admitted in ICU at SKIMS.
“Three tourists namely Yogesh Bhardwaj, son of Devdat resident of Haryana; Surraj Agrwal, resident of U.P and Bomika sustained injuries when some stones broke the window pains of the vehicle they were traveling in Fore Shore road area” spokesman added.
One constable and one SPO was injured in Machhama Budgam, while one constable was injured in Koker bagh Soura, others who have been injured in different incidents in Srinagar are Ab. Rashid Bhat, son of Gul Mohd, resident of Nawakadal; Mohd Ayub, son of Gul Mohd Malik, resident of Anantnag; Mohd Iqbal, son of Mohd Sultan, resident of Ali Kadal; Salaiya Akhter, daughter of Farooq Ahmad Gojri, resident of Chattabal; Rozi Jan, daughter of G. M. Khanday, resident of Pampore; Mohd Iqbal, son of Ab. Salam Daga, resident of Bemina; Ab. Gani, son of G. M Ganie, resident of Budgam; Bilal Ahmad Wani, son of Bashir Ahmad, resident of Jamalata; Constable Sumeth Kumar 160 Bn. CRPF and Constable Manoj Kumar. D-Coy 160 Bn CRPF, the police handout added.
Protest rock north Kashmir, life paralyzed
By Reyaz Ahmed
Baramulla: While violent protests continued in Srinagar, massive protest demonstrations rocked North Kashmir against controversial transfer of forest land to Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) land transfer controversy and the killing of youth in police firing at Srinagar.
Thousands of people including students of different educational institutions in Baramulla, Sopore, Hundwara,Pattan and Bandipora districts took to streets today afternoon and staged strong protest demonstrations against land transfer to SASB.
As the protesting mob including students reached main market Baramulla, shopkeepers lowered shutters of their shops and joined protests which continued for hours. Meanwhile traffic on roads remained off.
Sources said that hundreds of people in Sopore which include large number students staged protest demonstration against land transfer issue and pelted stones on police, the protestors later got peacefully dispersed.
The protesters blocked the road at Pattan and disrupted traffic for more than hour on highway and dispersed peacefully later.
Life in the entire north Kashmir came to stand still on Wednesday due to spontaneous strike against land transfer to SASB and use of force by police against those protesting transfer of forest land at Srinagar in which one civilian was killed.
Even though no organisation has given a call for strike, shops, business establishments and educational institutions were closed while public transport remained off the road in all major districts in North Kashmir which include Sopore, Kupwara, Bandipora and Uri.