By News Agency of Kashmir
Woman killed, 8 CRPF personnel among over 50 persons injured
Curfew in Pulwama after pitch battle between police and protesters
Srinagar: Massive protest rock Srinagar, summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, which continued to simmer over the transfer of forest land to SASB and killings of some civilians allegedly in police firing on the fifth consecutive day today on Friday.
A woman died after she was hit by a tear gas shell in Maisuma area of the city this evening.
While the Valley observed complete shut down, a number of protestors hoisted flags on Clock Tower, an important landmark of the city.
It was a day of protest across Kashmir Valley especially in Srinagar which witnessed flood of people on the city roads from Hari Singh High Street to Dalgate. Observers believe that it was the biggest ever protest March ever since after 1990, which militancy emerged in the state.
A bandh call given by the coordination committee made for the issue was observed in all small and big towns of the valley and people after Friday prayers took to streets chanting slogans against the government decision.
The normal life was thrown completely out of gear in the city and other parts of the valley which observed a complete shut down in protest against the transfer of land to SASB. While the shops and other business establishment remained closed, attendance in the government offices remained thin due to the non-plying of commercial vehicles.
Eyewitnesses’ accounts revealed that people thronged to streets after Friday prayers from all the major and small mosques of the city. Led by various separatist leaders and head of the mosques, the people marched on the city roads and chanted slogans against government, security forces and chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
The main protest demonstration emerged from Jamia Masjid Nowhata. The protestors were soon joined by other protest demonstrations from Dalgate, Nishat, Sonwar, Nowgam, Batmaloo, Bag-e-Mehtab, and Hyderpora.
Soon the city was flooded with people and anti-government slogans were loud in the air. Chanting slogans like Yatrion Ka Hum Khair Makdam Kartay Hain, Azad-Mufti Hai Hai the protestors were all in fire and tone was visible from the faces and slogans.
Protesting youth at Lal Chowk assembled near the Clock Tower (Ghantaghar) and hoisted green flags on the tower. The tower it is pertinent to mention here has a great significance in Kashmir history and it was the same place where the then prime minister of India Jawahar Lal Nehru and Sheikh Abdullah had addressed the public soon after the partition of India.
Late evening, a woman identified as Nighat Jan daughter of Ghulam Ahmad Bhat of Maisuma was hit by a tear gas shell leading to her critical injuries when she was standing near her house in Maisuma area of the city.
The woman was rushed to the hospital where she breathed her last thereby adding more fuel to already burning city.
Soon after hearing the news of the death of the woman people in hundreds took to streets and protest against the killing. However police and CRPF dispersed them and a heavy deployment was shifted to the area.
In other localities, however, angry protesters burnt tyres and pelted stones at police and paramilitary forces, who resorted to baton charge and used tear gas shells to disperse mobs.
At Khanyar in the old city, security forces had a tough time in controlling stone pelting mobs and residents alleged that many people were roughed up.
Security personnel had to use force to quell violent protests in many areas like Nowshera, Soura, Rainawari, Braripora, Rambagh, Tengpora, Noorbagh and Eidgah.
Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) troopers opened fire at a mob at Rainawari in old city after Friday prayers, injuring two people. This led to considerable panic and tension in the area.
The protest, however, remained peaceful in the city and troopers and police observed complete restraint so as to avoid any clash with the people.
Reports revealed that late in the evening when the protestors returned back some angry youth set ablaze a van of Airtel at Khanyar in the downtown area of the city.
Sources told News Agency of Kashmir that some protestors pelted stones on security forces at Fateh Kadal. The troopers resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob. At least ten persons, including a trooper were injured in the ding dong battle that followed. CRPF personnel later fired some rounds in air to disperse the protestors.
At Barbar Shah the protestors attacked a CRPF bunker and damaged it completely. The CRPF personnel resorted to lathicharge injuring five persons. Two CRPF jawans also received minor injuries in the stone pelting.
Protestors also turned violent in some other parts of City outskirts including Batmaloo and Rainawari. Ten people were injured in the pitch battle fought between CRPF personnel and protestors.
Protest demonstrations were also held in others parts of Valley, where people also observed bandh in response to the call, sources told News Agency of Kashmir.
They said that at least 26 persons including a police officer Inspector Liyaqat Ahmad were injured in a ding dong battle between the police and protestors at Pulwama. Late evening reports revealed that police imposed curfew in the area, which was tensed till the last report came in.
Police fired few rounds in air to disperse protestors in Shopian area of South Kashmir, while ten people were injured in Tral area.
In Kabamarg area of Dooru people in large number throng to street and held a massive protest demonstration. Molvi Abdul Rasheed Dawoodi, while addressing the protestors Kashmir welcome pilgrims and have always stood to communal brotherhood and harmony. However, he said that the land transfer can be accepted at any cost and protests will continue till the decision is revoked.
Other districts of Valley including Ganderbal, Baramulla, Kupwara, Anantnag, Kulgam, Bandipora and Budgam also observed shut down and protests were held after Friday prayer.
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Meanwhile, a police handout in the evening said that the events of the day throughout the valley went off peacefully with police and CRPF exercising utmost restrain. There were few incidents of stone pelting in Sopore, Shopian and some parts of the old Srinagar. In these incidents 21 persons including 15 policemen were injured.
“No firing incident took place throughout the length and breadth of the valley, although minor force was used to disperse violent mobs when they indulged in damaging public as well as private property” the handout claimed.
No Pakistani flags were raised although some demonstrators in Srinagar raised the flags of Awami-Majilis-e-Amal. The rumors regarding imposition of curfew are baseless as most of the parts remained peaceful.
Top police officers monitored the situation through out the day. Inspector general Of Police Mr. S. M. Sahai while commending the job of Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF for the restrain shown by them today, impressed upon them to maintain this restrain with perseverance and patience.
Those who were injured have been identified as Muneer Ahmad Sofi, son of Gh. Ahmad, resident of Noorbagh at Noorbagh; Hilal Ahmad , son of Mohd Yousuf, resident of Rainawari at Rainawari; Farooq Ahmad Parray, son of Gh. Mohd, resident of Rainawari at Rainawari; Javed Ahmad Shah, son of Mohd Yousuf, resident of Khan Sahib Budgam at Rainawari; Imtiyaz Ahmad Bhat, son of Mohd Abdullah, resident of Sonibal Kulgam at Nawakadal; Sajad Ahmad Najar, son of Mohd Maqbool Najar, resident of Rangil Ganderbal; Constable Manojant 157 CRPF at Batmaloo; SHO Pulwama and two constables of Pulwama at Pichool; Constable Mohd Maqbool No. 2333/S ; constable Fayaz Ahmad No. 671/ S; constable Manzoor Ahmad No. 365/S; constable Farooq Ahmad No. 4095/S; constable Nazir Ahmad No. 1930/S; Sg. Constable Manzoor 3419/S are injured at Rainawari; SHO Shaheed Gunj, constable Nissar Ahmad ;Sg. Constable Gh. Mohiudin; constable Zahoor Ahmad; Head constable Ali Khan.