By Sheikh Imran Bashir,Agence India Press,
Srinagar: Doctors and lawyers staged protests against the ongoing human rights violations in the Valley at Lower Court and Government Medical College (GMC) in Srinagar on Saturday.
The call for staging the protests was given by the Hurriyat Conference (G) spearheading the ongoing “Quit Kashmir Movement.”
Lawyers assembled within the premises of the Lower Court and staged a sit-in. They were demanding stern action against the police and paramilitary CRPF men involved in the recent killings across the Valley. Similarly doctors assembled in the compound of GMC Srinagar and staged a pro-freedom demonstration.
Meanwhile, Clashes between policemen and paramilitary CRPF troopers broke out in north Kashmir’s Palhallan town on Saturday.
Scores of people took to the streets and staged a demonstration on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road. A huge contingent of police reached on the spot and resorted to baton charge to disperse them. Protesters retaliated with stones triggering clashes that continued for nearly an hour.
Authorities had imposed curfew-like restrictions in Palhallan after clashes on Friday. A police spokesman had claimed that the local station house officer (SHO) was injured “after being hit by a bullet fired by one among the protesters.”
Copying Army procedure Jammu & Kashmir Police on Saturday staged flag march in Old city, downtown area in summer capital here.
“Flag march was staged to instill confidence among the people,” a senior police officer said.
Pertinently, downtown area has been reeling under continuous curfew and restrictions for the past one month.
Curfew continues on Saturday in Kupwara and Pulwama even as restrictions were lifted from most parts of the Kashmir Valley.
Elsewhere, life continued to remain disrupted in the Valley with shops and business markets remaining closed and transport off the roads due to the week-long shutdown called by the Hurriyat Conference led by leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
Pertinently, at least 17 youth have been killed since June 11 across the Valley in police and CRPF action. Kashmir has been on boil for more than a month.